Spaceport hopeful of getting licences before summer
THE SAXAVORD Spaceport says it is “still on track” to receive its necessary licences from the sector’s regulator before the summer.
This relates to applications to the Civil Aviation Authority for range and spaceport licences.
Meanwhile SaxaVord CEO Frank Strang said the company is also on track for two rocket launches this year – “albeit they have moved slightly to the right”.
“You must always remember we have no control over the launch technology and our clients’ state of readiness,” he wrote in the latest spaceport newsletter.
“We can only do what we can and make sure we are ready to facilitate and enable. Which we are.”
There still stands to be activity on the Lamba Ness site this summer, though, with launch provider Rocket Factory Augsburg AG (RFA) due to start engine testing there.
The testing will take place on the recently completed launch stool.
It was announced in January that SaxaVord Spaceport was teaming up with RFA in a multi-million pound collaboration to give it exclusive access to the launch pad ‘Fredo’ for orbital launches.
The first launch of its RFA ONE system is currently planned for the end of 2023.
The spaceport said the RFA launch pad is the “first for vertical orbital rocket launches in the UK and mainland Europe”.
Regarding the licensing, Strang said SaxaVord is the only spaceport with live applications being considered by the regulator.
“Given that Virgin Orbit has ceased activity for the time being and that the Cornwall Spaceport licence is only applicable for two Virgin Orbit launches a year, SaxaVord Spaceport is the only one able to support the government’s ambitions for a buoyant space economy for the next 30 years or so,” he said.
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