BREMEN (dpa-AFX) - The operators of Germany's spaceport planned for the North Sea are sticking to the start planned for next year. "Our plan is still to have the first launch in 2023," a spokeswoman for the Bremen-based German Offshore Spaceport Alliance (Gosa) told the "Nordwest-Zeitung" newspaper in Oldenburg (Wednesday).

The operator consortium, which includes Bremen-based aerospace company OHB, wants to use a mini-rocket to launch miniature satellites into space from the North Sea. The satellites are to be launched more than 400 kilometers from shore. "The launch point we have chosen is not only convenient to reach and does not come into conflict with any offshore wind farm, but it is also perfect to reach the orbits we think will be most requested by our customers," the spokeswoman said.

The ship carrying the rocket and cargo is scheduled to launch from Bremerhaven. According to the spokeswoman, a so-called spaceport will also be built there, where the satellite to be launched will be integrated into the missile. However, a location for the spaceport has not yet been determined.

The background to this is a new space strategy of the German government, which also deals with "New Space", an increasing commercialization of space travel. The floating launch platform in the North Sea is a special ship with a launch pad./eks/DP/mis