At a groundbreaking moment in the UK space industry, Skyrora became the first UK-based manufacturer to receive a commercial space launch license.
The license, granted by the British Civil Aviation Administration (CAA), allows Skyrora to launch suborbital Skylark L rockets from within the UK, signaling an important leap into end-to-end launch capabilities from British soil.
This pivotal outcome supports the goals of the UK’s National Space Strategy. It aims to establish the country as a major player in global space activities.
The ability to carry out sovereign launches will significantly reduce reliance on UK foreign space launch providers and increase national resilience when accessing space for commercial missions and government missions.
Skyrora CEO Volodymyr Levykin highlighted the importance of licensing.
“We are pleased to be able to move forward with our launch plan, and given that operators like us have built new paths alongside the CAA, the journey to obtaining UK licenses is long, but ultimately rewarding.
“It is essential that the UK has the ability to launch a sovereign, not only unlocking commercial activities of companies that need to access space and achieve government objectives to become a global player in the space sector, but also from strategic defence considerations.
“Skyrora is proud of its key efforts to enable launch activities from the UK. We look forward to achieving a reliable commercial launch programme that brings all the benefits.”
Skylark L: A sustainable road to orbit
At the heart of this development is Skylark L from Skyrora, an 11-meter-high suborbital suborbital rocket designed to carry payloads of up to 50kg beyond the Kalman Line.
Featuring a clean, burning 30KN bipropellant engine and built using advanced 3D printed components, the rocket is a testament to UK engineering and sustainability.
Originally developed to verify the technology of Skyrora’s upcoming track vehicle, the Skylark L, the Skyrora XL, will also enable affordable microgravity research.
Lessons from Fuel’s future successes
The 2022 launch of Skylark L from Iceland did not lead to a complete mission success, but the campaign provided important real-world data.
Insights into vehicle performance, recovery operations, and logistics coordination provide direct information on system improvements.
This hands-on experience accelerated Skyrora’s roadmap towards future orbital launches, placing the company at the forefront of UK space innovation.
Once you get a new license, Skyrora is actively preparing for a UK-based space launch. The company works with spaceports, regulators and industry partners to enable regular and reliable launch services from UK territory.
Headquartered in Scotland, Skyla’s efforts are to promote regional economic growth and solidify the UK’s position in the global space economy.
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