At the UK’s new spaceport on the isolated island of Unst in Shetland, a rocket engine blew up during a launch test. The test was being conducted by the German company Rocket Factory Augsburg (RFA), as a prelude to their objective of launching the United Kingdom’s first vertical rocket into orbit. Thankfully, there were no reported injuries, and the explosion did not compromise the launch pad’s security.
Large flames and dense smoke shot horizontally from the rocket’s bottom during the planned nine-engine test, and the rocket quickly caught fire. Three months have passed since RFA used the same location to successfully complete an eight-second engine test.
The SaxaVord Spaceport, where the test was carried out, maintained that all safety protocols were followed and that the site had been evacuated before the test took place, leaving no staff at risk. A company spokesman described this as part of a deliberate test to identify any issues before moving on to the next stage. They are now working with RFA to understand the explosion’s cause.
A former RAF radar station, the SaxaVord Spaceport gained approval for orbital launches in December 2023 by the Civil Aviation Authority. It will be Western Europe’s first fully licensed vertical launch spaceport, with up to 30 launches a year mainly for satellites and other payloads. This spaceport looks likely to become a major feature of the UK space industry—worth an estimated £17.5 billion.
Several companies, including HyImpulse, Skyrora, and Lockheed Martin/ABL Space Systems, are planning launches from SaxaVord. Meanwhile, Scotland is developing five additional spaceports, including Sutherland Spaceport, which aims to launch 12 rockets per year.