ESA backs RFA infrastructure work at Shetland's SaxaVord
ESA's Boost! programme adds €2.7 million to prepare Rocket Factory Augsburg's RFA One for its first two flights from SaxaVord in Shetland.
The story in focus
ESA's Boost! programme has extended a contract worth €2.7 million to Rocket Factory Augsburg, funding infrastructure and testing at SaxaVord spaceport in Shetland ahead of RFA One's first two test flights. The contribution uses UK Space Agency funding and is matched by RFA investment.
- The €2.7 million contract extension is funded through ESA Boost! with UK Space Agency money and matched by RFA.
- The extension covers groundwork and testing before RFA One's Test Flight-1 and Test Flight-2 from SaxaVord.
- RFA One is a three-stage launcher designed to carry up to 500 kg to a 500 km Sun-synchronous orbit.
What the extension funds
The European Space Agency has extended Boost! programme support for Rocket Factory Augsburg, adding €2.7 million to preparations for the company's first RFA One flights from SaxaVord spaceport in the Shetland Islands. RFA One development began in 2022 under the same programme.
The funding draws on money from the UK Space Agency, and RFA is contributing an equal amount. The extension covers infrastructure and testing work needed before the vehicle's first two test flights, designated Test Flight-1 and Test Flight-2.
The vehicle and the next milestone
RFA One is a three-stage orbital launcher about 30 metres tall and 2.15 metres wide, designed to place payloads of up to 500 kg into a 500 km Sun-synchronous orbit.
According to ESA, the contract extension supports groundwork and testing in the run-up to both test flights. UK Space Minister Baroness Lloyd described the investment as a vote of confidence in the UK space sector and said she looked forward to RFA One moving toward a first flight from British soil; no launch date was given in the source.
How much is the ESA Boost! contract extension for RFA, and what does it cover?
It is worth €2.7 million and supports infrastructure and testing at SaxaVord ahead of RFA One's first two test flights. UK Space Agency funding backs it, and RFA matches the amount.
Sources & further reading
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