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A German start-up has said it will return to “regular operations” as soon as possible after a rocket engine exploded during a test at Britain’s new spaceport in Shetland.
The scheduled nine-engine test, which took place late on Monday, was being carried out by Rocket Factory Augsburg (RFA). The company hopes to eventually launch the UK’s first vertical rocket into orbit.
The test, which took place at SaxaVord Spaceport on the island of Unst, was part of several trials due to be carried out before progressing to launch. Large flames could be seen shooting horizontally from the bottom of the rocket soon after the first stage of the test started.
RFA said in a statement on social media that an “anomaly” had led to the “loss of the stage”. No one had been injured in the explosion and the launch pad had been “saved and is secured”, the company said.
“We develop iteratively with an emphasis on real testing,” RFA added. “This is part of our philosophy and we were aware of the higher risks attached to this approach. Our goal is to return to regular operations as soon as possible.”
In a statement, SaxaVord Spaceport said all safety protocols had been observed. “This was a test, and test campaigns are designed to identify issues prior to the next stage,” it added.
The failed test comes three months after the site’s first RFA rocket test was carried out successfully. On that occasion, RFA fired four engines for eight seconds before shutting down. The company also conducted a five-engine test earlier this month.
RFA, based in Augsburg, southern Germany, is racing to develop small rockets to tap into the booming satellite launch market. Demand for cost-effective, flexible launch services has soared in recent years.
The company, founded in 2018, is backed by OHB, one of Europe’s leading satellite manufacturers. It secured a €30mn investment via a convertible loan from US private equity group KKR last year. The deal valued RFA at about €240mn, the Financial Times reported at the time.
The spaceport at Unst, the most northerly of the Shetland Islands, secured its licence last year from the Civil Aviation Authority, the aviation regulator, making it the UK’s first licensed vertical launch spaceport.
It received a second key licence from the CAA in April, paving the way for a launch later this year.
The port hopes to launch 30 rockets each year. Its position on the northern tip of the UK makes it ideal for putting satellites and other payloads into orbit.
