SaxaVord Spaceport, the UK's first approved site for vertical rocket launches, has gained its essential 'range control' licence from the UK Civil Aviation Authority, ahead of expected first launches in the second half of this year.
Having won its spaceport licence from the regulator in December, this new licence enables the spaceport to issue warning notices to keep people out of the hazardous downrange zone, perform surveillance of those areas, and monitor the progress of rockets in flight.
It is a key legal requirement and safety measure for future UK launches but is not in itself permission to launch.
The Civil Aviation Authority continues to assess potential launch operators from SaxaVord, which last year agreed a launch partnership with German startup Rocket Factory Augsburg (RFA) and has been hosting engine testing by French orbital launch company Latitude.
“SaxaVord’s range licence is vital to protecting public safety during launches," said the authority's head of UK space regulation, Colin Macleod.
“Our work is enabling the UK’s expanding space sector and encouraging safety, sustainability and security of space activity.”
SaxaVord CEO Frank Strang said the range licence has also been approved by the Secretary of State for Transport, following on from the spaceport licence.
"As Western Europe’s only fully licenced vertical launch spaceport, we are now preparing to make more space history with the beginning of orbital launch operations well underway and first launch expected to be in Q3 of this year," Strang said.