German rocket builder sets date for first launch at Scots space port

This window is likely to last for several weeks, and the company will attempt its launch on certain days within this period.

A successful launch would be the first time satellites have been carried into space from Scottish and UK soil.

A marine licence is required as the first stage of the 30 metre-tall RFA One rocket will fall into the sea as the vehicle ascends towards space.

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The three-stage rocket is designed to deliver a 1,300kg payload to a sun-synchronous orbit around Earth.

The German company confirmed the application had been submitted, saying a launch date has not yet been set.

RFA said: “For the first time, the application also specifies a potential launch window, which will open NET (no earlier than) July 1, 2026.

“This is a legally-required step for planning and a good sign of how far we’ve come – but it’s not a launch date just yet.

“We applied for this window because we’re working hard to be ready – and we’re getting closer every day. So: the application means we’re entering a new phase of preparation.

“Still, as with any first-ever launch, there are uncertainties and the schedule may evolve.”

SaxaVord is housed on the site of a former RAF base on the island of Unst in Shetland.

We reported in February that RFA were moving toward launching from Unst as the spaceport was granted a licence from the Civil Aviation Authority for rocket flights, with RFA given permission to test there.

A spokesman for SaxaVord Spaceport, which is at the northernmost tip of the inhabited part of the UK, said: “We’re hard at work supporting @rfa_space as they prepare for first test flight.

“Further details around launch timing will be shared through the appropriate channels closer to the time.”

Rocket ship. (Image: Rocket Factory Augsburg)

The company received its spaceflight operator licence from the CAA in January 2025, to go with SaxaVord's spaceport licence and the range control licence.

The regulatory approval gives RFA permission to launch into space from Scotland, covering a wide range of orbits and trajectories.

The marine licence is the next stage in the regulatory approval process.

The Scottish Government’s marine directorate can issue licences for “marine deposit activities”.

In August 2024, the first stage burst into flames on the launch pad due to an oxygen fire in one of the turbopumps, setting all nine engines on fire.

RFA was only weeks away from its inaugural flight when the incident set it back significantly.

Over the last 18 months, the company has been manufacturing a replacement for the destroyed first stage and upgrading the vehicle’s upper stage to resume preparations for launch from SaxaVord Spaceport.

Assuming a successful first flight, RFA expects to achieve an initial launch cadence of up to four flights per year over the following two years. In parallel, the company is working to improve the performance of its RFA One rocket.

A number of companies plan to use SaxaVord Spaceport as a hub for commercial rockets, hoping to tap into global demand for satellite launches.

The Times reported earlier this month that Shetland Space Centre, the SaxaVord operating company, reported a £5.4 million loss.

The company's directors said the losses are due to the business being "in the build phase."

Scottish rocket developer Orbex went into administration in February.

It had planned to launch rockets from SaxaVord, having paused its own plans to develop a rival space port in Sutherland.

Orbex received a total of £76.7m from the public purse, with £29m from the Scottish Government’s Scottish National Investment Bank (SNIB) and £26m from the UK Government.

The failure of the Moray-based firm, which employed 163 staff, has seen SNIB come under increased scrutiny.