German firm wins bid to be first to launch a satellite from UK’s most northerly tip

Rocket Factory Augsburg has been officially licensed for spaceflight by the regulator

German company Rocket Factory Augsburg aims to be the first to launch a satellite from the most northerly tip in the UK from its spaceport in Unst on the Shetland Islands. SaxaVord/PA Wire

A German company is aiming to be the first to launch a satellite from the most northerly tip in the UK after being officially licensed for space flight by the regulator.

Rocket Factory Augsburg's first test flight, which they hope to carry out in 2025, would be the first vertical launch of a satellite from European soil.

The Civil Aviation Authority has approved the company to receive the first licence for this type of launch.

It is the final significant piece of regulatory approval needed for RFA to launch from SaxaVord Spaceport on Unst, the northernmost part of the Shetland Islands.

Rocket Factory Augsburg's engine caught fire during tests at a vertical launch at spaceport SaxaVord.

The privately-owned spaceport has already been granted a spaceport licence and a range control licence by the CAA.

Known as RFA One, their launcher is a 30-metre three-stage rocket that can deliver a 1,300kg payload to a sun-synchronous orbit around Earth.

During a static fire test last year, the first stage of the initial rocket caught fire and exploded, leading to plans for the first launch to take place in 2024 to be pushed back.

Chief commercial officer Jorn Spurmann said securing the launch licence is a “groundbreaking moment for RFA and for Europe’s space industry”.

“Securing the first-ever launch licence outside ESA’s established site in Kourou (in French Guiana) is not just a regulatory milestone – it’s a powerful endorsement of our technical excellence and a turning point for European space innovation," he said.

A computer-generated image issued by SaxaVord UK spaceport of a rocket taking off from Lamba Ness in Unst.

“This licence marks Europe’s bold step towards independent, competitive, and sustainable space access.

“By enabling cost-effective and flexible launches from European main land, we are laying the foundation for a new era of space exploration and commercialisation, ensuring Europe remains at the forefront of the global space race.”

Rob Bishton, chief executive of the CAA, said: “This is a new era for aerospace and granting the first vertical launch licence from UK soil builds towards a historic milestone for the nation.

“This licence is the culmination of extensive hard work behind the scenes to put appropriate safety and environmental measures in place before launch.

“Through effective licensing and regulation we are enabling the expanding the space sector to reach new heights.”

SaxaVord Spaceport formally opened last May and was granted permission to host up to 30 launches a year for companies requiring satellites in polar orbit.

Ahead of being granted a licence, SaxaVord was assessed by the space regulator as meeting appropriate safety, security and environmental criteria, as well as having suitable infrastructure, equipment and services to accommodate vertical space launches.

The spaceport licence puts Scotland at the centre of the European launch market, with Scottish satellites already in space, and home-grown rocket companies breaking new ground.

While Spaceport Cornwall became the UK's first licenced spaceport, SaxaVord's licence allows it to host vertical launches rather than horizontal, where rockets are carried by aircraft.

In 2023, Spaceport Cornwall attempted to make European history by launching a rocket into orbit from UK soil but it ended in failure after an “anomaly” during the flight.

After taking off from Cornwall, the Virgin Orbit plane flew to 10,600km over the Atlantic where it jettisoned the rocket containing nine small satellites towards space. The LauncherOne rocket successfully deployed and ignited its main engine but before the next stage a fault occurred.

An illustration of a mock rocket taking off from Lamba Ness in Unst, one of Scotland's Shetland Islands. PA

An illustration of the UK Pathfinder Rocket launch. Photo: Lockheed Martin

An aerial view of the SaxaVord site in the Shetland Islands. Photo: SaxaVord

Former British prime minister Boris Johnson walks around the stall for SaxaVord during a visit to the Farnborough International Airshow in July. PA

Lamba Ness in Unst. PA