Spaceport: Hot fire test engulfed in flames
Alistair Munro
A “hot fire” test at the Saxavord Spaceport has ended with a rocket engine exploding and being engulfed in flames.
Tests are being carried out by client RFA Rocket Factory at the Unst site ahead of a first official vertical orbital rocket launch scheduled to take place in the autumn.
But one test this evening (Monday) ended in an engine being engulfed in flames.
In a statement issued by RFA, they said: “RFA conducted a hot fire of its first stage at their launch site at SaxaVord Spaceport.
“This resulted in an anomaly that led to the loss of the stage. No one was injured in the process. The launchpad has been saved and is secured. The situation is under control and any immediate danger has been mitigated.
“We are now working with Saxavord Spaceport and the authorities to gather data and information to eventually resolve what happened. We will take our time to analyse and assess the situation.
“Our goal is to return to return to regular operations as soon as possible”
SaxaVord Spaceport, in a statement said that, as it has done throughout the test campaign, it will support its client RFA in its investigations following the stage loss.
They added that all safety protocols were fully observed and the site evacuated prior to the test, meaning that no RFA or SaxaVord personnel were at risk.
A spokesman for SaxaVord said: “This was a test, and test campaigns are designed to identify issues prior to the next stage.
“We will work with RFA to understand and learn from the causes and support them as they move forward to the next phase of their preparations.”
