Scotland has become the home of the first full-scale micro-launcher rocket developed in Europe.

Lifting off from Space Hub Sutherland, in the Highlands, the Prime orbital space rocket has been unveiled, a major step forward for the British space industry. Orbex, the company behind the rocket, is preparing the first-ever vertical rocket launch to orbit from UK soil.

“We are on the cusp of a historic moment, with Orbex playing a leading role in generating a brand new launch capability in the UK,” said Ian Annett, deputy CEO of the UK Space Agency.

Prime is a 19m-long, two-stage rocket powered by seven engines. The six rocket engines on the first stage of the rocket will propel the vehicle through the atmosphere to an altitude of around 80km. The single engine on the second stage of the rocket will complete the journey to low-Earth orbit (LEO), allowing the release of its payload of small, commercial satellites into Earth's orbit.

The rocket is significant...