The first orbital rocket launch from the UK mainland has been delayed indefinitely after German startup Rocket Factory Augsburg (RFA) discovered an issue “that requires further investigation”.
The firm was preparing for the inaugural launch of its RFA ONE vehicle from the Scotland-based SaxaVord Spaceport this summer, but has said on X that it needs to “destack” the vehicle to understand an underlying problem.
The previously agreed upon launch window was a five-week span starting from Monday August 10, with the ultimate decision taken 24 hours beforehand depending on local conditions. Once confirmed, a launch exclusion zone will be implemented around the spaceport, rerouting flight traffic while marine vessels are asked to leave the area."
The RFA One rocket, which has been in development since 2019, is a small-lift multi-stage launch vehicle designed to transport small and micro-satellites of up to 1,300kg into low-Earth polar and Sun-synchronous orbits. It was originally going to...