The site, located in Midlothian, is an important contribution to Scotland’s space infrastructure. The facility is a large leap towards establishing launch as a final sector in the space ecosystem. It provides Skyrora with competitive advantage due to its status and location.
Having had three separate planning applications, the Midlothian facility was commissioned and brought into service within six months.
The site was funded by a grant awarded by the European Space Agency in 2021 as part of its mission to foster commercial space transportation services.
The site occupies an area of over 120,000 square feet. Once the testing site is running at full capacity it will serve a team of up to 20 engineers.
Skyrora’s Head of Engineering, Dr Jack James Marlow said: “The new purpose-built Midlothian site allows us to take direct charge of the development cycle in-house. By reducing our reliance on third parties and cultivating specialist knowledge within the company, the Midlothian location gives us much closer control of the quality and rapid development of Skyrora XL as we prepare for its first demo launch. The site also allows us to optimise our manufacturing processes, and to scale up launch vehicle production over the long term. This milestone was only made possible dur to the dedication and talent of the Test Site Team,”
A local test facility means a lower carbon footprint compared to having to transport engines and equipment to third-party facilities. The site harnesses its natural surroundings, using rainfall from the Scottish Lowlands as part of the cooling systems of the test stand. The site also allows Skyrora to concentrate its launch development operations for the purpose of conducting acceptance tests for engines on its orbital Skyrora XL vehicle, as it aims to become the first British company to complete an orbital launch from UK soil.
The site has already seen the completion of 15 engine tests. Skyrora’s 70kN bi-propellant engine, which emits half the carbon emissions of engines using liquid oxygen and kerosene, is undergoing verification testing at the facility. Nine of these engines will power the 23-metre Skyrora XL rocket on its launch from the UK.
Later this year, the company bids to be the first British firm to launch a rocket from UK soil. With the launch of its three-stage orbital vehicle, Skyrora XL, scheduled for later this year, the facility comes at a pivotal time.
Founder and CEO, Volodymyr Levykin said: “Developing sovereign launch capability is of the utmost importance for the UK’s ability to claim a leadership position in the emerging new global space economy-something that has only become clearer as we’ve seen the role played by space services in intelligence-gathering and security and defence during the ongoing invasion of Ukraine.
“The opening of our Midlothian site means that Britain is another step closer to unlocking its launch capacity and potential to play a bigger role in the space economy. We would usually have the entire Skyrora family here to celebrate such an achievement, but unfortunately, our Ukrainian colleagues can’t be with us. Without them, this feat of engineering wouldn’t have been possible and I’m sure that we’ll be able to celebrate with them again very soon.”
Levykin continued: “An infrastructural triumph for the UK space sector, this facility promotes STEM job creation that’s central to the UK government’s Levelling Up agenda, unlocking the revolutionary potential of the new space economy in the UK in the process. We’re proud to have led the way on this.”