Scotland's first rocket launch likely to 'blow' but someone might still want to take a ride

Saxa Vord on the Scottish island of Shetland is awaiting a license for the UK's first vertical launch. Credit: Cpl. Trish James/RAF

Scotland's first rocket launch is likely to 'explode', but there could be a customer 'willing to take the risk', says Shetland's launch site boss.

Saxa Vord awaiting license for UK's first vertical rocket. launch and hopes to have its first test launch on the island later this year.

«I fully expect the rocket to explode,» chief executive Frank Strang said when asked how Shetland's first launch would compare with the launch of Virgin Orbit. a failed attempt from Cornwall.

He added: «You never know, maybe there's a client willing to take the risk.»

Mr. Strang compared the company to NASA's Cape Canaveral, but clarified that Saxa Vord was ready for the first challenges.

He said: «If you look at the first three SpaceX launches, they were all what people thought would be unsuccessful. — but it's not.»

The government says the UK's space sector is worth £14.8bn a year, and launches of domestic spacecraft should increase that figure.

However, the industry hit a sticking point earlier this year after Virgin Orbit's attempt to launch a space rocket from a modified Boeing 747 ended in an explosion in January. .jpg» /> Virgin Orbit operating from Newquay Airport in Cornwall ended in an explosion. Photo: Department of Defense/PA Media. Sir Richard Branson withdrew his support. The rest of the assets were sold for just £29m.

Industry sources said the failure of Virgin Orbit has severely curtailed global space launch opportunities as companies sought to buy up available launch sites from competitors such as Elon Musk's SpaceX.

The Telegraph understands there are no new ones. launch slots are available anywhere in the world until the last few months of next year.

The Saxa Vord's first commercial launch will see Germany's Rocket Factory Augsburg rocket launch into space, Mr. Strang said Tuesday morning.< /p

The Civil Aviation Authority's space regulators intend to issue a spaceport license «in the next four to six weeks,» he predicted.

When asked how the people of Shetland reacted to the construction of a spaceport on the quiet Scottish islands, Strang joked : “We always said we weren't building Cape Canaveral. But in fact it is.

“And you have to remember that we have a customer base, they are all international and come to us.”

Saxa Vord claims that by 2028 30 launches per year will be made this year.