The UK's northernmost point is becoming Europe's first vertical rocket launch site. Its position near the Arctic Circle gives direct access to polar orbits that let satellites see every part of Earth.
Mike Pennington, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
From cold war radar to commercial space
Located on the Lamba Ness peninsula of Unst, the UK's most northerly inhabited island, SaxaVord Spaceport occupies a site with a history of strategic importance. During the Cold War, the adjacent Royal Air Force station, RAF Saxa Vord, was part of the NATO radar network, monitoring the skies for Soviet threats. The radar station closed in 2006 but was partially revived in 2018 as a remote radar head for surveillance. Now, the focus has shifted from terrestrial threats to celestial access.
The transition to a spaceport began with plans submitted in 2021. The UK's Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) granted SaxaVord a spaceport license on December 17, 2023, making it the first fully licensed vertical spaceport in Western Europe. This license permits the site to host up to 30 launches per year. The facility was officially declared open in May 2024. The site's history is even deeper than the Cold War; archaeological digs in 2023 unearthed a Bronze Age cremation cemetery on the grounds.
The physics of a polar launch
SaxaVord's location at a high latitude of 60.8°N is its primary scientific advantage. This position provides direct, fuel-efficient trajectories into polar and sun-synchronous orbits (SSO). These orbits are significant for Earth observation, climate monitoring, and reconnaissance satellites because they allow a satellite to pass over or near both poles, viewing the entire surface of the planet as it rotates.
Launches from Unst head northward over the Norwegian Sea, avoiding populated areas and the need for costly "dogleg" maneuvers that rockets from more equatorial sites must perform to reach polar inclinations. The site offers clear launch azimuths between 330 and 30 degrees. This geographical benefit allows rockets to maximize their payload capacity for a given amount of fuel. The RFA ONE rocket, for instance, is designed to carry up to 1,350 kg to polar orbit from this site.
Rockets and launchpads
The spaceport is designed to host multiple launch operators and features three planned launchpads: Fredo, Calum, and Elizabeth. The first pad, Fredo, is exclusively used by the German company Rocket Factory Augsburg (RFA). RFA's three-stage RFA ONE rocket, which stands 30 meters tall, is scheduled for its first test flight with a launch window opening on August 10, 2026. The company delivered the rocket's first and second stages to the site in early 2026.
Another German company, HyImpulse Technologies, plans to launch its SR75 suborbital rocket from SaxaVord. This vehicle uses an innovative and safer hybrid propulsion system with paraffin wax (essentially candle wax) and liquid oxygen. The SR75 can carry a 250 kg payload to an altitude of 200 kilometers, providing access to microgravity environments for research. The first European launch for HyImpulse is targeted for the third quarter of 2026. The entire launch operation is managed from a control center located at the former RAF base complex.
💡Fun Facts
The spaceport's name comes from Saxa Vord, the highest hill on the island of Unst, which stands 285 meters (935 ft) high.
The launchpad "Fredo" was completed in December 2022 and is named after a key early supporter of the project.
Unst has a population of around 630 people and is known for having the world's most famous bus shelter, complete with a sofa and television.
Besides launching rockets, the site's high latitude and low radio interference make it an ideal location for ground stations that download data from satellites in polar orbit.
This is an active industrial site and not open for general public tours. For specific launch events, a limited number of passes for an authorized viewing area will be made available, with local residents getting first priority.
Admission
Viewing passes for launch events will be announced on the official website.
Accessibility
The site is on the remote island of Unst, characterized by rugged, open terrain. Reaching the island involves flights to the Shetland mainland, followed by two separate ferry journeys.
