SaxaVord Spaceport has been licensed by the UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), thus officially confirming its operation as the only vertical launch spaceport west of Europe.
SaxaVord Spaceport is located in the remote Shetland Islands and thanks to its strategic location and state-of-the-art infrastructure, the spaceport offers an ideal environment for satellite launches and other space missions. Its northern location also provides a significant advantage for sun-synchronous launch operations, polar, high-inclination orbits, and suborbital flights. This event represents a prestigious step for the UK space sector.
Obtaining the CAA “range license” represents the result of prolonged and challenging negotiations by the SaxaVord Spaceport team to find ways to meet rigorous facility, environmental, and aviation safety standards, to conduct launch and spaceflight activities in the United Kingdom while ensuring maximum safety for all operations.
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The terms of the license
The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has granted a specific license named “range license” to the Scottish spaceport, which will allow the company to control and safeguard maritime space and airspace during the launch of rockets that will pass over the North Pole to enter orbit.
The biggest challenge in obtaining the license was due to the skies over the north of Scotland being a busy flight path for many transatlantic flights. SaxaVord obtained its first spaceport license in December 2023.
“This is a vital component in our preparations for launch. As Western Europe’s only fully licensed vertical launch spaceport, we are now preparing to make more space history with the beginning of orbital launch operations well underway”
— Frank Strang, CEO of SaxaVord Spaceport
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First test launch in August
Seven operators are for the time being seeking permission from the CAA to launch their rockets into orbit from a UK spaceport, including Scottish rocket manufacturer Skyrora, based in Cumbernauld, which could be the first Scottish rocket to be launched into orbit from Scotland. Any operator hoping to launch from a UK spaceport needs to have the licenses to demonstrate they are operating within the rules.
We just keep going!
— Rocket Factory Augsburg (@rfa_space) April 30, 2024
RFA ONE's first stage arrived safely in SaxaVord and has been lifted onto the launch pad. The RFA UK team is currently working hard to prepare it for our first hot fire campaign.
Who's as excited as we are? 🙋♂️ pic.twitter.com/HIgrEf9NjT
Currently, the German company Rocket Factory Augsburg (RFA) is working on a first test launch in August this year from the Scottish spaceport. Engineers and operators are currently moving their rocket from their Augusta factory to the Unst launch site and they aim to carry out full endurance testing of their engine (phase one).
Their rocket named “RFA One” will be capable of carrying 1,300 kg of payload into orbit.
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