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Space
Space
Science
Brett Tingley

Europe's 1st commercial rocket by RFA explodes on test stand at Scotland spaceport

RFA SaxaVord Spaceport Europe Scotland Rocket Factory Rocket Factory Augsburg SaxaVord Augsburg Shetland Islands the Shetland Islands
Fire and smoke spew from a sliver cylinder upright on a large metal platform.

An explosion put a dramatic end to a test fire of a new rocket being developed by the German company Rocket Factory Augsburg.

The explosion occurred on Monday (Aug. 19) while Rocket Factory Augsbug (RFA) was test firing the first stage of its new RFA ONE rocket. The test was meant to lay the groundwork for a planned debut launch as early as this year from SaxaVord Spaceport, a new facility being developed in the Shetland Islands, around 100 miles (160 kilometers) northeast of the Scottish mainland. 

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