Meeting hears first SaxaVord launch could be in February – but spaceport says no timetable is yet in place

A SAXAVORD Spaceport spokesperson says there is no timetable in place yet for a first test flight – despite a council meeting hearing that an inaugural launch could take place in February.

It comes after rocket company RFA’s failed “hot fire” engine test on one of the spaceport’s launch pads in August.

Shetland Islands Council’s development director Neil Grant said at a meeting on Wednesday that he understood the first launch from Unst could now be in February.

However a spokesperson for SaxaVord Spaceport said afterwards there was no timetable in place yet.

At Wednesday’s meeting, Shetland North councillor Tom Morton also questioned whether the launchpad was fit for purpose after the test or damaged.

Grant said it was his understanding the launch pad has not been damaged.

RFA had hoped to undertake a launch from Unst in September or October – but that has been pushed back due to the test incident.

SaxaVord Spaceport chief executive Frank Strang said at the time that all safety procedures and protocols had worked as planned.

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