UK domestic launch milestone as RFA ONE rocket arrives in Scotland

German aerospace company Rocket Factory Augsburg (RFA) has achieved a significant milestone in its quest to conduct the UK’s first orbital launch, delivering both the first and second stages of its RFA ONE rocket to SaxaVord Spaceport in Scotland’s Shetland Islands.

The arrival of the stages marks a key step forward following a setback in August 2024, when an anomaly during a static fire test of the first stage led to its destruction.

Over the subsequent 18 months, RFA’s engineering teams have conducted thorough investigations, fully identified the root causes—primarily related to the turbopump—and implemented comprehensive improvements to enhance reliability.

These enhancements include upgrades to the Helix rocket engines, tank pressurization systems, and overall operating procedures.

The newly manufactured first stage underwent initial testing at RFA’s facilities in Augsburg, Germany, before its transport and arrival at SaxaVord in early February 2026. At the launch site, integration work is now underway to mate the stage with its nine Helix engines.
These engines, which power the first stage using a staged-combustion cycle for high efficiency, are in the final phase of acceptance testing at the Swedish Space Corporation (SSC) facilities in Kiruna, Sweden. Once testing concludes, the engines will be shipped to SaxaVord on a rolling basis for final integration.

The second stage has followed a similar path to maturity. It successfully completed a hot-fire test campaign at the Esrange Space Center in Sweden, demonstrating the performance of its single Helix engine and associated systems. The stage was then safely transported to SaxaVord, where it has arrived and is currently undergoing final inspections and checks.

Dr. Stefan Brieschenk, Chief Development Officer at RFA, praised the team’s dedication for overcoming past challenges.

“Following the incident in 2024, we thoroughly reviewed, analyzed, and tested everything and improved the systems to achieve even greater reliability,” he said. “The arrival of our first and second stages at the SaxaVord spaceport is proof of our team’s commitment and expertise.”

RFA ONE is a two-stage (with plans incorporating elements toward three-stage configurations in future iterations) orbital launch vehicle standing approximately 30 meters tall and two meters in diameter.
Designed for affordability and rapid production using industrial techniques and stainless steel structures, it aims to deliver payloads of up to 1,300 kilograms to low Earth orbit.

The rocket’s Helix engines represent a key innovation in Europe’s commercial space sector, enabling competitive pricing and flexible mission profiles, including precise in-orbit delivery via an optional Redshift orbital transfer vehicle.

With both core stages now collocated at the remote northern spaceport on the island of Unst, preparations are shifting to full vehicle integration, combined stage testing, and pad operations. This includes commissioning activities at the dedicated launch pad and a planned hot-fire test of the integrated first stage.

Technical Update! The past few weeks and months have been very busy at RFA. Everything is being prepared for the next first stage hot fire, and great progress has been made on our launch pad and at @SaxaVord_Space.

Let´s take a closer look:

Most visible and impressive: the… pic.twitter.com/SNbCMcPmJz

— Rocket Factory Augsburg (@rfa_space) February 10, 2026

The most prominent milestone is the completion and raising of a 52-meter umbilical tower at Launch Pad Fredo, fully equipped with stabilizing clamps, fueling lines, and interfaces to support the vehicle during countdown and provide propellant, power, and data connections until liftoff.

The remainder of the launch pad infrastructure is now complete, with only the water tanks for the deluge system pending installation. Commissioning activities are underway, including upcoming critical tests on the pad to validate systems ahead of flight preparations.
Complementing these ground developments, the launch control facilities are fully operational, featuring a Mission Control Centre (MCC) and Range Control Centre (RCC) located approximately 5 km from the site for safe monitoring and command of launches. Additionally, SaxaVord Spaceport has finished its Assembly, Integration, and Testing (AIT) hangar, allowing RFA to move in for final rocket stage integration and testing.

The facility includes a dedicated clean room for customer payloads, enabling extended on-site access and optimal handling conditions right up to launch integration.

These steps will pave the way for the inaugural orbital test flight, targeted for summer 2026.

The progress underscores RFA’s ambition to contribute to Europe’s growing independent access to space, reducing reliance on foreign launch providers and supporting the deployment of small satellites for commercial, scientific, and potentially defense applications.

SaxaVord Spaceport, having secured necessary range licenses, positions itself as a hub for vertical launches, with RFA’s campaign all but certain to mark the UK’s first such orbital mission.

While challenges remain—including final engine integrations, integrated vehicle testing, and range safety validations—the delivery of the stages represents tangible evidence of RFA’s recovery and forward momentum and comes at a timely period after the demise of Orbex, who were positioning to be a rival to become the first orbital launch provider from UK soil.

All images via RFA.

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