The UK Civil Aviation Authority has granted the first ever vertical launch licence to a UK based company. Skyrora has been licensed to launch and operate its sub-orbital Skylark L vehicle from the CAA licensed spaceport at SaxaVord.
SaxaVord Spaceport became the UK’s first licenced vertical launch spaceport in December 2023, and received its range control licence in April 2024. Since then, the CAA has been involved in an ongoing programme of monitoring the site as it progresses towards launch. Skyrora is the second launch operator to have a licence to launch from the spaceport.
Skyrora’s licensing approval process considered a number of key factors ranging from safety, international obligations and environmental mitigations around the company’s planned launches.
The UK’s space regulator will now continue to monitor the company to ensure Skyrora adheres to the terms of its licence and safety is prioritised. This includes in the build-up to, and during launch.
The licence comes with a number of conditions that will need to be met before launch including adequate insurance, a data sharing agreement with the UK Government, satisfactory arrangements with the Spaceport and airspace agreements with other countries. Once those conditions are met, Skyrora will determine its launch schedule based on its technical and operational readiness.
For more information
Civil Aviation Authority – United Kingdom
Image: The SaxaVord site in Shetland, UK. (SaxaVord)
