An Edinburgh rocket firm have shared a jaw-dropping clip of their fire engine test as they move towards the first Scottish launch in history.
Local firm Skyrora said they had successfully completed the static fire test of their new XL Orbital vehicle, which is hoped to be launched from the Shetlands in 2023.
The monumental event, at Discover Space UK at Machrihanish Airbase on the Mull of Kintyre, was the largest integrated stage test in the UK for 50 years, since the days of the Black Arrow and Blue Streak rockets, which were cancelled in the seventies without ever going into production.
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Showing both close up and overhead shots of the test, the huge and powerful engines could be seen blasting flames and smoke over the site to monitor the vehicle’s operational capability.
Burning for 20 seconds, the company have said things are moving full steam ahead for the 2023 launch from the SaxaVord Space Centre on Unst, the most northerly of the Shetland Islands.
Volodymyr Levykin, Founder and CEO of Skyrora, said: “With the UK striving to capture a 10 per cent share of the global space market by 2030, the successful Skyrora XL second stage static fire test puts Skyrora on track to become a key part of the UK’s new space industry as the first British company to conduct vertical launch from UK soil.
“Skyrora now has purpose-built rocket manufacturing and testing facilities in the UK – as well as the largest 3D printer of its kind, which we are using to produce rocket engine components.
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“We recognise the value that a strong domestic space industry will bring to the UK, and we will continue to spearhead these efforts to make the UK a player to be reckoned with globally.”
The successful test is the latest important stride for Skyrora, following the opening last month (July) of a new manufacturing and production facility, the largest of its kind in the UK, in Cumbernauld, North Lanarkshire, and the recent opening of an engine test facility in Midlothian.
The new facility in Cumbernauld allows the company to concentrate its launch development practices in custom-built domestic facilities, further strengthening Skyrora’s status as the leader in the UK space race.
Colonel Lee Rosen (USAF, Retd.), Skyrora COO and former SpaceX Vice-President, said: “The static fire test looks, sounds and feels a lot like a rocket launch, but without lifting off. This hugely successful test was a definitive demonstration of our mobility and flexibility.
"The Skyrora team went from clean tarmac to a full static fire test in just 2.5 days, bringing all the necessary equipment with them.”
Matt Archer, Director of Commercial Spaceflight at the UK Space Agency, said: “As we soar towards the UK’s first commercial space launches, these achievements showcase our rapidly growing capabilities, and the increasing range of expertise that can make the UK a highly attractive destination for launch activities in Europe. We’ll continue to support the development of new launch infrastructure and technology and look forward to following the next steps of Skyrora’s journey to orbit.”
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