Scotland prepares for new space age after first UK vertical launch allowed

Rocket Factory Augsburg (RFA), a space start-up based in Germany, has become the first private European company ever to be given a vertical launch licence. This allows it to directly launch rockets in the same way SpaceX or NASA does. Previous launches from the UK mainland have used other methods, including being launched from planes.

The launch will take place from Shetland’s SaxaVord Spaceport – a name which will be familiar to anyone who visited the Festival of Speed presented by Mastercard in 2023. There SaxaVord, alongside RM Technology, unveiled its Starflight Academy – an opportunity for families and children to learn about modern space exploration – in Future Lab presented by Randox.

RFA’s licence comes from the UK’s Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), the body which oversees all space and lower flight in the country. The licence granted to RFA does not limit when the company can launch and covers a large array of potential trajectories.

RFA now says that it is aiming to launch later in 2025, having previously been scheduled to take flight in 2024. That planned launch was cancelled after a fire during a test run at SaxaVord destroyed RFA’s first stage. 

The RFA One rocket that will launch has been entirely developed in house in Germany. At 30m tall and 2m wide, RFA One is roughly the size of a ten story building, or about the same height as the Central Feature at the 2011 Festival of Speed. It’s powered by nine of RFA’s own Helix OSC engines and is capable of taking 1,300kg up to 550km above the Earth’s surface, or putting 850kg into a 2,000km orbit. 

Its launch from SaxaVord is significant because most European space launches have used the European Space Agency (ESA)’s facility in Kourou, French Guiana. While Kourou offers excellent launch conditions and positioning, it also adds the complication of needing to ship any payload or even rockets to South America. Launches from SaxaVord could save European companies significant shipping costs, allowing launches to take place within a lorry drive of construction.

Speaking of the launch Jörn Spurmann, Co-founder and Chief Commercial Officer of RFA, said: “This is a groundbreaking moment for RFA and for Europe’s space industry.

“Securing the first-ever launch licence outside ESA’s established site in Kourou is not just a regulatory milestone – it’s a powerful endorsement of our technical excellence and a turning point for European space innovation. This license marks Europe’s bold step toward independent, competitive, and sustainable space access.

“By enabling cost-effective and flexible launches from the European mainland, we are laying the foundation for a new era of space exploration and commercialization, ensuring Europe remains at the forefront of the global space race. Together with the CAA and our partners, we are driving the future of accessible and reliable spaceflight, unlocking opportunities that will shape industries and inspire generations.”

Rob Bishton, CEO of the CAA, added: “This is a new era for aerospace and granting the first vertical launch licence from the UK soil builds towards a historic milestone for the nation. This licence is the culmination of extensive hard work behind the scenes to put appropriate safety and environmental measures in place before launch. Through effective licensing and regulation we are enabling the expanding space sector to reach new heights.”

SaxaVord Spaceport sits on Unst, the most northerly of the UK’s Shetland Islands. While it is the UK’s only current space launch site, it is not the only one in Europe. Competition comes from sites in Norway and Sweden, which makes the CAA’s licence even more significant. 

Officials from SaxaVord recently told members of the government’s Scottish Affairs Committee that the company expected to be fully ready for launches after 1^st July 2025.