“Skyrora is proud to be leading efforts that enable launch activity from the UK, and we look forward to achieving a reliable commercial launch programme that benefits us all,” said Volodymyr Levykin, CEO of Skyrora.<\/p>\n
“It is essential that the UK has sovereign launch capabilities.”<\/p>\n
![\"A](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/skynews-skyrora-rocket_6983034.jpg\")
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Image:
\n A Skyrora engineer builds a rocket in the company’s factory near Glasgow<\/p>\n
While it’s a step towards that goal, the licence doesn’t mean the Shetlands will rival America’s Cape Canaveral any time soon.<\/p>\n
Although the CAA licence allows Skyrora up to 16 launches a year, SaxaVord isn’t expected to be able to facilitate a launch until early 2026.<\/p>\n
The current licence is also limited to sub-orbital launches of the 11m tall rocket.<\/p>\n
Skyrora expects its rocket to reach an altitude of between 120 and 130km – well over the 100km-high “Karman Line”, which is the internationally-agreed boundary of space.<\/p>\n
But Skylark L lacks the heft to access low-earth orbit, the ultimate goal for the emerging “micro launch” industry.<\/p>\n
![\"A](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/skynews-skyrora-rocket_6983033.jpg\")
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Image:
\n A Skyrora engineer works on one of the company’s rockets<\/p>\n
‘Important milestone’<\/strong><\/p>\n Like many of its competitors, Skyrora is using this smaller rocket to test various technologies – and the regulatory environment – before attempting an orbital flight with its larger vehicle, Skyrora-XL.<\/p>\n Launching from northern latitudes like the UK offers easier access to satellites in polar or sun-synchronous orbits.<\/p>\n Smaller rockets potentially mean cheaper and faster launches, offering a “responsive” launch capability to service or support the increasing number of satellites in orbit.<\/p>\n “I am thrilled we’ve reached this important milestone in the UK space sector, and I congratulate Skyrora for being the first UK company to receive a rocket launch licence,” said aviation and space minister Mike Kane.<\/p>\n The UK, however, has been criticised for being slow to develop a domestic space capability since the Space Industry Act made it possible back in 2018.<\/p>\n The first licence for a UK space launch wasn’t granted until 2022, but the attempt by Richard Branson’s Virgin Galactic for a horizontal rocket launch from an aircraft failed<\/strong><\/a>.<\/p>\n Read more on Sky News:<\/strong>
Hunt for smugglers fuelling meth explosion<\/strong><\/a>
Sky reporter returns to scene of riots confrontation<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n