New spaceport partnership could see first UK launch this summer
Andrew Hirst
The spaceport’s newly announced partnership is hoped to pave the way for the first vertical satellite launch from UK soil this summer.
Launch service provider Rocket Factory Augsburg AG (RFA) and SaxaVord Spaceport announced their partnership on Wednesday.
The multi-year deal is reported to include investments in the “double-digit million pound range”.
It is believed RFA is now the most likely candidate for the first launch from the spaceport, possibly a sub-orbital launch this summer.
A 500km high “sun-synchronous” orbit is set to follow by the end of the year.
Lockheed Martin’s first UK Pathfinder launch is now understood to be planned for later this year, or early next year. Its partner, ABL, is still trying for its first successful launch from Alaska.
SaxaVord has now signed launch agreements with eight firms, including Skyrora, Astra, HyImpulse Technologies, Venture Orbital Systems and C6 Launch Systems.
Whereas previously the “space race” was between competing spaceports – the question now appears to be which of SaxaVord’s partners launches first from Unst.
Earlier this week, the first horizontal satellite launch from UK soil ended in failure, when a rocket launched from Newquay, Cornwall, suffered an “anomaly”.
SaxaVord said that while the Virgin Orbit launch did not achieve the desired result, “they have significantly furthered the UK space industry”.
“We fully support Spaceport Cornwall’s efforts and know the team will be itching to get back and push forward their projects,” it added.
Under new agreement, RFA has secured exclusive access to SaxaVord’s launchpad Fredo, from which it hopes to achieve the first launch of its RFA One system rocket.
Fredo was completed by the end of 2022 and is also expected to host testing of the rocket from mid-2023.
It is understood ABL will launch its he RS1 rocket from launchpad Elizabeth, the furthest along the peninsula.
In all, the spaceport will host up to three launchpads and three integration hangars, each for shared or exclusive use.
SaxaVord Spaceport CEO Frank Strang said: “We’re delighted to kick off the new year by announcing our partnership with RFA.
“We will support RFA across the entire lifecycle of a launch, from facilitating testing, inspections, fuelling and safety, to supplying Met weather data and access to our ground station network for data capture and distribution.
The entire team cannot wait to welcome RFA and work closely as we edge closer to the UK’s first vertical space launch in Unst.”
The partnership will allow RFA to launch satellites for Earth observation and communications, providing data to support initiatives such as optimisation of logistics routes, early detection of forest fires and analysis of ground conditions.
The data could also support maintenance of infrastructure, collection of health data, self-driving cars, climate and environmental protection.
RFA chief commercial officer Jörn Spurmann, who visited SaxaVord Spaceport yesterday, said: “We are super excited to launch our first flight from SaxaVord.
“This partnership of privately financed companies enables the spirit and speed that we need, to be on top of the commercial small launch competition.
The SaxaVord team was incredibly determined to build our launch pad and get the operations up and running.
“We are proud to be part of this historic event for the UK having built the first launch pad in mainland Europe.
“We firmly believe in the UK’s strategic space vision and are absolutely convinced that the double-digit million investment in the site is well placed on our part.”
Earlier this week, the first horizontal satellite from UK soil ended in failure, when a rocket launched from Newquay, Cornwall, suffered an “anomaly”.
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