Rocket Factory Augsburg Gains License Ahead of UK Launch
RFA’s launchpad at SaxaVord Spaceport. Photo: RFA
Rocket Factory Augsburg (RFA) has officially received its spaceflight operator license from the UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) as it prepares to launch from the U.K. In combination with the spaceport license and the range control license from SaxaVord Spaceport, all three critical regulatory license required for a test flight in 2025 from Scotland have now been granted. RFA announced the milestone on Jan. 16.
With this regulatory green light in place, RFA is now shifting its focus to the final technical preparations for the first test flight. The company has already completed major development milestones, including the successful flight qualification of the RFA ONE’s second stage, its Redshift orbital transfer vehicle (OTV), and its payload fairing system. The remaining efforts are centered on building the rocket’s first stage with nine Helix staged-combustion engines, and conducting a full hot fire test on the launch pad at SaxaVord Spaceport in Scotland.
RFA had planned to launch from SaxaVord in August of last year, but an engine exploded during a hot fire test ahead of the launch.
“Securing the first-ever launch license outside ESA’s established site in Kourou is not just a regulatory milestone – it’s a powerful endorsement of our technical excellence and a turning point for European space innovation. This license marks Europe’s bold step toward independent, competitive, and sustainable space access,” said Jörn Spurmann, co-founder and CCO of RFA. “By enabling cost-effective and flexible launches from European main land, we are laying the foundation for a new era of space exploration and commercialization, ensuring Europe remains at the forefront of the global space race.”
RFA was founded in 2018 and is working toward a goal of offering launch services of up to 1,300 kg to Low-Earth Orbit (LEO) and beyond on a weekly basis at highly competitive prices.
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