Is Britain's Rocket Dream Nearing? Skyrora Receives Launch Permit, CEO Says: "We May Not Be Able to Launch This Year"

Phoenix News Tech Report August 6, the UK Civil Aviation Authority released a statement on August 5, announcing that it has granted a space launch permit to Skyrora, a British company based in Scotland, allowing it to launch its Skylark L rocket from SaxaVord Spaceport. This is the first time the UK Civil Aviation Authority has issued a vertical launch permit to a British company, and the permit allows Skyrora to launch up to 16 times per year.

It's reported that the Skylark L rocket stands approximately 11 meters tall and is a single-stage rocket capable of carrying payloads weighing up to 50 kilograms to an altitude of 102 kilometers. Worth noting is that this rocket also serves as a platform for microgravity research and verifies the core subsystems of Skyrora's larger orbital-class rocket, Skyrora XL. In 2022, Skyrora conducted its first flight attempt with the Skylark L rocket from Iceland, but it failed shortly after liftoff due to an anomaly.

According to the UK Civil Aviation Authority's latest statement, the permit granted to Skyrora comes with several conditions, including that the company must purchase adequate insurance before each launch, sign a data sharing agreement with the British government, and reach air traffic agreements with other countries. According to Volodymyr Levykin, founder and CEO of Skyrora, it is unlikely to launch this year. Levykin said: "Skyrora's top priority is to achieve a successful launch from the UK and have autonomous launch capabilities. Although the rocket is ready and we've received permission, the possibility of launching from the UK this year is low."