Following the failure to complete its mission for Virgin Orbit Holdings Inc (NASDAQ:VORB) earlier this week, the UK space industry got some good news today with SaxaVord Spaceport agreeing a launch partnership with startup Rocket Factory Augsburg (RFA).
The first launch of the RFA One rocket system from the site on the Shetland island of Unst is planned for the end of this year, taking seven companies' payloads into orbit, with testing and qualification of the rocket core stages also expected to begin at the site in mid-2023.
Under the multi-year deal, the German rocket startup will have exclusive access to Saxavord's Fredo launch pad for orbital launches, which is arguably the first spaceport launchpad for vertical launches in the UK and Western Europe.
Spaceport Cornwall, where Virgin Orbit's converted jumbo yet took off and landed, is also a commercial airport and so focused only on 'horizontal' launches.
SaxaVord in 2021 signed an agreement with Edinburgh-based Skyrora for what was then planned to be the first vertical launch from UK soil. Even after a failed test launch of its Skylark L rocket in October, Skyrora said it still intended to launch a larger orbital rocket from Unst in late 2023.
RSA, which was founded in 2018, said Saxavord's location at the most northerly tip of the UK is "ideal suited [to] to launch payloads at high cadence into polar and sun-synchronous orbits".
The partnership includes investment “in the double-digit million pound range", enabling RFA to secure its first-flight launch site.
Entering 2023 with a major update … we are thrilled to announce our launch operations partnership with @rfa_space ???? Their first vertical launch will now take place from our site in Shetland, the northernmost tip of the UK. #ReadyForLaunchhttps://t.co/ng0Fx75Svy pic.twitter.com/9M5dvYU8dl
— SaxaVord Spaceport UK (@SaxaVord_Space) January 11, 2023
Jörn Spurmann, chief commercial officer at RFA, said the company is “super excited" and that a “partnership of privately financed companies enables the spirit and speed that we need, to be on top of the commercial small launch competition”.
Spurman, who visited SaxaVord Spaceport yesterday, added: “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.”
RFA's Jörn Spurmann, left, and SaxaVord's Frank Strang, right
SaxaVord Spaceport CEO Frank Strang said the support will be given to RFA from facilitating testing, inspections, fueling and safety, to supplying weather data and access to its 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 UK Space Agency's director of commercial spaceflight, Matt Archer, said the partnership is “another exciting step towards vertical launches from Scotland.
“By attracting global partners and building a vibrant home-grown launch industry, we are making the UK the leading country in Europe to offer commercial launch services, benefitting our economy and creating jobs across the whole country.”
What. A. Sight! ???? Our upper stage with a Helix engine. Ready for Integrated Systems Testing (IST) to validate the full #functionality & compatibility of all systems. How? With a #hotfire over its entire flight duration. Here, all stage systems are tested simultaneously. (1/3) pic.twitter.com/CEWuF7NHYL
— Rocket Factory Augsburg (@rfa_space) November 7, 2022