Rocket test at British spaceport fails

According to a report by the BBC on August 19, a newly-built spaceport in the Shetland Islands of the United Kingdom encountered a failure during a rocket launch test. The rocket engine exploded and the site was engulfed by a huge fireball. Here are the relevant details:

Test details: The RFA one rocket developed by the German commercial space company Augsburg Rocket Factory underwent engine testing at the SaxaVord Spaceport on Unst Island in the Shetland Islands. The goal was to send the first vertical rocket in the United Kingdom into orbit. However, during the test, flames and thick smoke sprayed horizontally from the bottom of the rocket, and then the entire launch pad was engulfed by a large fire.

Accident consequences: The rocket was damaged in the explosion, but there were no casualties. Augsburg Rocket Factory said that the launch pad was protected, the situation has been brought under control, and any immediate risks have been mitigated. The company is working closely with the spaceport to collect data and information about the rocket explosion to determine the cause of the accident.

Rocket introduction: The RFA one is a commercial rocket developed by Augsburg Rocket Factory. It is planned to have its first launch later this year. According to data released by the company, the RFA one rocket is about 30 meters long and 2 meters in diameter. It has a payload capacity of 1.3 tons in a 500-kilometer sun-synchronous orbit, 450 kilograms in a geosynchronous transfer orbit, 300 kilograms in a lunar transfer orbit, and 150 kilograms in a geostationary orbit. The first stage of the rocket is equipped with nine "Helix" liquid oxygen kerosene engines. The thrust of a single engine is about 100kN. The second stage of the rocket is equipped with a vacuum version of the "Helix" engine.

In recent years, the United Kingdom has continuously increased its investment in the aerospace industry. The SaxaVord Spaceport in the Shetland Islands obtained a license from the Civil Aviation Authority of the United Kingdom in December 2023 and is expected to become the first fully licensed spaceport in Western Europe capable of vertical launches into orbit. In Scotland, there are still five proposed spaceports under development.