The UK has just taken a decisive step toward consolidating its presence in the competitive global space market. Granting the first vertical space launch license to a British company is an unprecedented achievement for the country’s aerospace sector and also represents a strategic move to position the country as a leading player in this segment.
An achievement for the British aerospace industry
Britain has granted its first space launch license to a homegrown rocket company, paving the way for a Scottish start-up to send satellites into space from the country’s first vertical launch spaceport. Skyrora, which was founded in 2017, would be able to conduct up to 16 launches a year, subject to further approval by the UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), the regulator said on Tuesday.
While granting the license represents progress, the postponement of Skyrora’s launch on British soil already highlights the challenges facing the country’s space infrastructure. The unavailability of SaxaVord Spaceport until 2025 demonstrates the need to expand logistical capacity to meet the growing demand for commercial launches. Despite this setback, the company remains focused on the United Kingdom as its priority base of operations, reinforcing its commitment to local technological development.
Limited infrastructure threatens UK’s emerging space ambitions
The Scotland-based company would use the SaxaVord Spaceport in the Shetland Islands, northern Scotland, which received a key safety license last year, meaning rockets could be launched from the site in the future. However, SaxaVord has told Skyrora that there is no availability for a launch in 2025, the Financial Times reported. Skyrora Chief Executive Volodymyr Levykin said in a statement to Reuters the firm’s priority was to launch from Britain but it expected a delay.
“Despite having a vehicle ready and a launch license, it is unlikely that Skyrora will be able to complete its launch from the UK this year,” Levykin said.
He said the company had options to launch from Australia, Oman and potentially Iceland. Germany’s Rocket Factory Augsburg was the first company to gain a license to launch from the SaxaVord site earlier this year.
“Granting a home-grown company, Skyrora its launch license is a major milestone for our space sector and our nation,” CAA Chief Executive Rob Bishton said.
Scotland on a growth path in the aerospace sector
Skyrora’s progress demonstrates the UK’s desire to become a European benchmark for space launches, capitalizing on the growing value of this market. By aiming to integrate competitively into the global market, the country strengthens its innovation and space safety policies, aligning regulations with sustainability and technological independence goals.
The space market is forecast to be worth over $1 trillion by 2030 as companies around the world plan to deploy thousands of internet-beaming satellites. Britain has been looking to add launch capabilities to its space industry, which employs over 45,000 people and builds more satellites than anywhere outside the United States.
But those efforts were dealt a major blow in early 2023 when a horizontal rocket launch from Newquay, south-west England, failed. A successful vertical launch from SaxaVord would revive the industry’s prospects. Skyrora needs to meet a number of conditions before any launch, including adequate insurance, a data-sharing deal with the British government and airspace agreements with other countries.
The future of the UK space industry depends on execution and infrastructure
Skyrora’s licensing marks a symbolic and practical turning point for the UK’s space race, but the path to the first launch still requires overcoming technical and logistical hurdles.
The investment in local infrastructure, combined with the company’s vision for global expansion, puts the country in a promising position to compete in the growing space market. With its eyes on the future, the UK must now turn this potential into a concrete — and sustainable — reality.
GCN.com/Reuters