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Skyrora Secures CAA Launch Licence; First Flight Deferred to 2026

The licence grants permission for up to 16 Skylark L suborbital launches per year in the UK following a pad shortage at SaxaVord Spaceport.

Skyrora’s Skylark L suborbital rocket undergoes a static fire test, part of preparations for its first U.K. launch.
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A computer-generated image of a rocket taking off from Lamba Ness on Unst

Overview

  • The Civil Aviation Authority has authorised up to 16 suborbital Skylark L flights annually from SaxaVord Spaceport under Skyrora’s new licence.
  • SaxaVord Spaceport has no available launch pads for 2025, making a UK-based Skylark L mission unlikely until 2026.
  • The company is considering Norway and Australia as alternative launch venues after SaxaVord’s launch pads were fully booked for 2025.
  • The current licence covers only suborbital missions and future orbital flights with Skyrora XL will require separate regulatory approvals.
  • Skyrora plans to use Skylark L flights to de-risk key technologies ahead of manufacturing and integrating its three-stage XL orbital vehicle.