Space / Rocket Factory Augsburg prepare for orbital launch after 1 July
A FIRST test flight from SaxaVord Spaceport could take place any time after 1 July, it has emerged.
Rocket Factory Augsburg (RFA), the company behind the first test flight, has submitted an application for a marine licence needed for the endeavour.
The application specifies a potential launch window which will be open no earlier than 1 July.
The company announced the development in a post on the professional networking platform LinkedIn.
RFA described the move as a “good sign of how far we have come” but warned that this is “not a launch date just yet”.
“We applied for this window because we’re working hard to be ready – and we’re getting closer every day,” the company said.
“So: the application means we’re entering a new phase of preparation.
“Still, as with any first-ever launch, there are uncertainties, and the schedule may evolve.”
RFA is generally regarded as the SaxaVord client closest to the first ever vertical space launch from UK soil.
Back in August 2024, the company suffered a setback when its RFA One rocket and the entire stool were engulfed in flames when aviation fuel caught fire during a ‘hot fire’ test of the rocket’s nine engines.
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