UK Makes History with Approval of First Vertical Rocket Launch

First Vertical Rocket Launch in UK Gets Green Light

The United Kingdom has granted its first-ever vertical rocket launch license to German start-up Rocket Factory Augsburg (RFA). This approval, issued by the UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), permits RFA to conduct a test flight from the SaxaVord Spaceport on Unst, the northernmost of the Shetland Islands, later this year.

The forthcoming launch will involve RFA’s 30-meter-tall RFA ONE rocket, designed for polar orbit missions related to earth observation and communication. The mission aims to deploy 136 kg of small satellites and scientific equipment, including experiments on satellite trajectory, deorbiting defunct satellites, and utilizing a robotic arm for object capture in space.

This milestone positions the UK ahead in the European space sector, marking the first orbital attempt from European territory outside of the European Space Agency’s site in Kourou, French Guiana. It also underscores the UK’s decade-long ambition to develop independent spacefaring capabilities and commercial spaceports. SaxaVord is currently the only active project among the six spaceports initially supported by the UK government in 2015.

Rob Bishton, CEO of the UK Civil Aviation Authority, stated, “This licence is the culmination of extensive hard work behind the scenes to put appropriate safety and environmental measures in place before launch.”

Jörn Spurmann, co-founder and Chief Commercial Officer of RFA, described the approval as a “groundbreaking moment for RFA and for Europe’s space industry.”

This development follows a previous incident in August 2024, where a rocket engine exploded during a test at the SaxaVord Spaceport. The site had been evacuated prior to the test, and no injuries were reported. Both SaxaVord and RFA emphasized that the testing campaign aims to identify issues before proceeding to the next phase.