First Scottish orbital launch could be set for this fall

Rocket Factory Augsburg is gearing up for its first orbital launch attempt of its RFA One rocket. Its spaceport, a set of Islands north of mainland Scotland, is also ready for the company’s launch, the first from the UK’s soil.

RFA, a commercial launch provider based in Augsburg, Germany, is developing a brand new rocket that will service the growing European satellite market. Their rocket, somewhere in between the Rocket Lab’s Electron and Neutron, will serve dedicated SmallSat launch capabilities for Europe.

This sort of service hasn’t been available for European companies with a European launch provider. The only name in the region for decades has been Arianespace, who did offer a light lift rocket called Vega, however it was still too expensive and powerful for dedicated SmallSat missions.

Now the rocket is still grounded after a series of mishaps.

RFA shared this week that it finished up acceptance testing for its first flight-ready RFA second stage. The rocket’s first stage has already been at the SaxaVord Spaceport for some time, completing a hotfire test and other pad tests. RFA One’s second stage will now be shipped off to Scotland for vehicle integration.

SaxaVord, the spaceport hoping to host the first orbital mission from UK soil, has received two of the needed three licenses from the UK’s Civil Aviation Authority (like the FAA). First was a spaceport license, then a license to operate the range, and third will regard airspace, which SaxaVord expects to receive in September.

Spaceport officials stated at the Farnborough International Airshow a few weeks ago, that the launch is expected to be late in the fall. However, they understand space timelines usually slip as they get closer.