Western Europe's First Vertical Spaceport Cleared for Launch, Awaits Rocket Liftoffs in 2024.

A major hurdle has been cleared for Western Europe to possibly see its first vertical rocket launch in summer 2024.

The SaxaVord spaceport, nestled on the picturesque Shetland Islands just off the northern coast of Scotland, has secured its official license. This makes it the pioneering vertical launch site in Western Europe, ready to propel rockets skyward in a groundbreaking display of technological powers.

In a historic development, SaxaVord, situated on Unst, the northernmost Shetland island, has officially been granted a license by the United Kingdom's Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) on Sunday, Dec. 17. While the debut launch date remains undisclosed, the CAA has confirmed that this license signals the initiation of rocket launches on UK soil, with the exciting prospect of liftoffs starting as early as 2024.

Stay tuned as we explore the implications of this groundbreaking license and the future of space exploration right from the captivating landscapes of the Shetland archipelago!

SaxaVord's collaboration with U.K.-based Skyrora underscores its commitment to fostering domestic talent in space exploration. Together, they're navigating the complexities of small satellite launchers, putting the United Kingdom on the map of cutting-edge aerospace technologies.

Teaming up with German powerhouses HyImpulse and Augsburg Rocket Company, SaxaVord taps into the renowned precision and engineering prowess of Germany. This collaboration holds the promise of bringing efficiency and innovation to the development of small satellite launchers.

On the transatlantic front, SaxaVord has forged a powerful alliance with Lockheed Martin, the U.S. aerospace giant. This collaboration signifies SaxaVord's global ambitions, leveraging Lockheed Martin's vast experience and resources to push the boundaries of space exploration.

As SaxaVord emerges as a focal point of innovation, these partnerships extend beyond rocket launches—they represent a collective effort to propel Scotland into a new era of space exploration.

Skyrora, whose suborbital Skylark L rocket failed during a debut test flight in Iceland in December 2022, welcomed the new announcement. In an emailed statement, the company said it has previously applied for a CAA license to operate their vehicles from the U.K. and is awaiting the outcome.

"Two other licenses need to be granted to separate entities for a launch to be undertaken fully within the regulations: the Range Operator License and the Launching License," Skyrora's head of government affairs Alan Thompson said in the statement. "Skyrora has a live Launch License application being assessed and we eagerly anticipate permission to be granted early in 2024 to undertake a launch at SaxaVord in the summer."

Rocket Company Augsburg, too, expects to conduct its first orbital flight from SaxaVord next year, according to earlier reports in SpaceNews. Its compatriot firm HyImpulse recently received £3.4 million from the U.K. Space Agency to fund the testing of its hybrid propulsion rocket at the Shetland site and plans to launch a suborbital test rocket from Australia in early 2024. 

SaxaVord is one of three U.K. launch sites vying to become Europe's leading spacehub. The Sutherland Spaceport, located on the Scottish north coast some 260 miles (420 kilometers) southwest of SaxaVord, is still awaiting a license. But this site, located on the picturesque A' Mhòine peninsula, appears to have gained less traction with rocket companies, having secured just one main partnership — with U.K. based Orbex, which is developing its biofuel-fired Prime launcher in the nearby Forres. 

The U.K. has another licensed spaceport — Newquay in Cornwall — which hosted the failed launch attempt by Virgin Orbit last year. Although the company's converted Boeing 747 successfully took off from Newquay's runway in January 2023 with the Launcher One micro-rocket on-board, that launcher failed shortly after its release from the carrier aircraft. 

As Virgin Orbit has since filed for bankruptcy, there are no current plans to fly rockets from Cornwall, which can only support horizontal launches, meaning rockets are launched from aircraft after being carried to high altitudes underwing.

SaxaVord may therefore offer the much longed-for re-do of the U.K.'s maiden debut rocket flight. Despite the Virgin Orbit hiccup, the U.K. government has not soured on rocket flights, and has recently published a lessons learned report detailing the main problems leading up to the Virgin Orbit failure. 

In a webinar accompanying the report's publication, Colin MacLeod, the head of U.K. spaceflight regulation at the CAA said that nine rocket companies have filed license applications with the authority and are awaiting decisions, according to SpaceNews. 

The U.K. government originally announced plans to build spaceports in the U.K. in 2014. Four years later, Sutherland, SaxaVord and Cornwall received funding to help get rockets off the ground. But competition in Europe has grown since. In October 2023, Spanish rocket start-up PLD Space successfully launched its suborbital Miura 1 rocket from Huelva in southwestern Spain. 

Credits:Western Europe's 1st vertical spaceport cleared for launch, hopes to see rockets fly in 2024 | Space

Edited by: www.linkedin.com/in/shri-sanjay-i-s