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Skylark L is Skyrora’s 36-foot (11m) Suborbital rocket. | Credit: Skyrora
Skyrora has become the first British company to secure a license to launch a rocket from the United Kingdom.
The UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has granted Skyrora A license for a maximum of 16 launch for a year from Saxavord Spacport, located on the Shetland Islands off the coast of Scotland.
It is the first time that a vertical launch license has been granted to a company established in the UK. With this, Skyrora can launch its Suborbital Skylark L Rocket from Saxavord, who has already received a safety permit from the CAA. The movement is also a step in the direction of Skyrora that launches its larger orbital rocket, the Skylark XL.
The license inspection process considered factors such as safety, international obligations and environmental rigs with regard to the planned launches of Skyrora, according to the CAA.
“The first of the Netherlands in the United Kingdom that receives a launch operator license is proof of the hard work and the dedication of everyone at Skyrora,” said Volodymyr Levinin, CEO of Skyrora, in a statement.
“It is essential that the UK has sovereign launching opportunities – not only to unlock commercial activities for companies that must gain access to space and to achieve the objectives of the government to become a global player in the space sector, but also a strategic defense,” Levinin continued.
However, a first launch is not expected before the end of 2025. Levykin told Reuters that, even though he has acquired a launch license and had a rocket ready, “It is unlikely that Skyrora will be able to complete the launch of the UK this year.”
He added that the company has options to launch from Australia, Oman and Possible Iceland, where Skyrora made a failed launch attempt from Iceland with the Skylark L in 2022.
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Skyrora is not the first company of an origin of a vertical launch license of the UK CAA. Rocket Factory Augsburg (RFA) from Germany received an orbital launch license in January, allowing it to be launched up to 10 times a year. A year ago, the RFA One-Rocket of the company exploded during a static fire test at Saxavord.
RFA was one of the five companies selected for the European Launcher Challenge of the European Space Agency, which aims to promote independent access to space for the continent with small and medium -sized missiles.
Skyrora was not until the selected companies, although the British competitor, Orbex, was chosen. At the end of March, the German Isar -Ruimtevaart made a failed first orbital launch attempt from the European mainland.
