While the United States is returning to the Moon, the United Kingdom struggles to just get off the ground. A rocket engine exploded during a test in Scotland on Monday. The launch site was evacuated before the test, and no one was injured at the SaxaVord Spaceport as fire poured out of the rocket.
The SaxaVord Spaceport opened in May this year, hoping to host Britain’s first vertical satellite launch. Traditionally, Europe isn’t an ideal location for a rocket launch because of its distance from the equator. The European Space Agency’s primary launch site is in French Guiana, on the northern coast of South America. SaxaVord is in the Shetland Islands, just off Scotland’s north coast.
Rocket Factory Augsburg, SaxaVord’s German partner, conducted the rocket engine test and stated:
“On Monday evening, RFA conducted a hot fire of its first stage at their launch site at SaxaVord Spaceport.”
“This resulted in an anomaly that led to the loss of the stage. No one was injured in the process. The launch pad has been saved and is secured, the situation is under control, and any immediate danger has been mitigated. We are now working closely with SaxaVord Spaceport and the authorities to gather data and info to eventually resolve what happened.”
This isn’t Britain’s first attempt at entering the potentially lucrative private space market. Virgin Orbit attempted to operate a mobile space program by air-launching rockets slung under the wing of a Boeing 747. After it’s first launch failed in January 2023, the Richard Branson-backed venture failed to secure funding to continue, laid off all its employees and filed for bankruptcy.
Virgin Orbit’s assets were sold off for $36 billion last year. SaxaVord is a far more fundamentally sound project than launching rockets from an airliner, so maybe Britain stands a better chance this time.