Other European launch companies likely to be in the mix include PLD Space of Spain, Skyrora from the United Kingdom, and Germany's Isar Aerospace, whose first Spectrum rocket currently sits on the pad at Norway's Andøya Spaceport with a launch attempt planned for March 28.

A European rocket plummeted back to Earth just seconds into its flight, after smoke began billowing from its sides. Footage shows the Spectrum rocket, developed by German start-up Isar Aerospace, being launched from the island of Andøya in northern Norway.

The first orbital rocket launched from continental Europe crashed seconds after blast-off Sunday, dealing a blow to the continent's bid to build a new space economy.