US EditionPermission granted for first-of-its-kind British rocket launch
SHETLAND ISLANDS, SCOTLAND, AUG 4 – Skyrora’s license permits up to 16 suborbital launches annually but delays at SaxaVord Spaceport may push the first UK launch to early 2026, with possible launches abroad in late 2025.
- Skyrora, a Scottish aerospace firm, became the first in the UK to be granted official permission by the Civil Aviation Authority to conduct vertical rocket launches, allowing it to send its Skylark L vehicle into space from the SaxaVord facility located in Shetland.
- This licence follows the Space Industry Act of 2018 and years of regulatory work, with Skyrora's CEO calling the journey a "long but ultimately rewarding one."
- Skylark L, standing 11 meters tall and built with UK 3D-printed parts, can reach altitudes between 120 and 130 kilometers and aims to enable low-cost microgravity experiments.
- Officials described the achievement as a major advancement for Scotland and the UK’s space industry, with Mike Kane expressing his praise for Skyrora as the pioneering UK firm to be granted approval for a rocket launch.
- Although SaxaVord may not support launches until 2026 and Skyrora may consider transferring its licence if delayed, the company plans up to 16 launches annually by 2030 to strengthen UK sovereign space capabilities.
Insights by Ground AI
Does this summary seem wrong?
18 Articles
18 Articles
Coverage Details
Total News Sources18
Leaning Left2Leaning Right1Center6Last UpdatedBias Distribution67% Center
Bias Distribution
- 67% of the sources are Center
67% Center
L 22%
C 67%
11%
Factuality
To view factuality data please Upgrade to Premium
