The RFA ONE rocket on the pad at SaxaVord Spaceport during testing in July. Credit: Rocket Factory Augsburg
WASHINGTON — The majority owner of Rocket Factory Augsburg is still confident the company will conduct its first orbital launch attempt this year despite a setback in testing.
RFA had been working toward a first launch of its RFA ONE rocket from SaxaVord Spaceport in the Shetland Islands as soon as Aug. 10, based on notices published by the spaceport. This will be the first flight of the small launch vehicle, capable of placing about half a metric ton into orbit.
However, the company announced July 28 it “encountered an issue with the vehicle” during testing on the pad that requires engineers to destack the vehicle. RFA did not disclose details about the problem or how long it expected the investigation to take. However, the spaceport has canceled the five-week launch window in August and September that it had reserved for the flight.
In an Aug. 6 earnings call, Marco Fuchs, chief executive of OHB, the German aerospace company that owns 65% of RFA, said engineers needed to “examine the tanks” of the rocket.
