- A huge fireball erupted into the air on Monday
Safety procedures at a UK spaceport ‘worked like clockwork’, its chief executive has claimed, despite a rocket engine exploding during a launch test.
Footage showed the shocking moment a huge fireball erupted into the air on Monday following a test by German company Rocket Augsburg at SaxaVord Spaceport on the island of Uist in Shetland.
RFA confirmed that nobody was injured in the explosion and the pad was ‘saved’ and has since been secured.
The nine-engine test was one of many different trials that were being carried out before it was passed as fit to launch.
RFA were planning to launch the rocket, which is called RFA One, this summer from Shetland.
Safety procedures at a UK spaceport ‘worked like clockwork’, its chief executive has claimed, despite a rocket engine exploding during a launch test on Monday
RFA confirmed that nobody was injured in the explosion and the pad was ‘saved’ and has since been secured
The nine-engine test was one of many different trials that were being carried out before it was passed as fit to launch
Shocking footage shows the moment large flames and massive smoke clouds emit from the bottom of the rocket.
Soon after, the entire structure is set on fire.
Despite the incident, Frank Strang, SaxaVord Spaceport’s chief executive officer, has remained optimistic about the incident, telling local publication Sheltand News:
‘I am delighted that all the protocols and procedures worked,’ he said on Tuesday.
‘The pad performed as it was supposed to. RFA will conduct their investigation into what the problem was; they will fix it and then we will carry on.’
‘The good news is that all our procedures and protocols – bearing in mind that we are the first licensed spaceport in the UK – worked like clockwork.
‘Nobody was hurt, all the reporting mechanisms were in place, and everything was done as it should be’, he said, adding that it was an accepted fact within the space industry that failures such as Monday’s were inevitable.
Shocking footage shows the moment large flames and massive smoke clouds emit from the bottom of the rocket
Soon after, the entire structure is set on fire
Despite the incident, Frank Strang, SaxaVord Spaceport’s chief executive officer, has remained optimistic about the incident, telling local publication Sheltand News: ‘I am delighted that all the protocols and procedures worked,’ he said on Tuesday
The port in Shetland is co-owned by Frank and Debbie Strang who bought the site 15 years ago
‘That’s why you have all these measures in place,’ he said.
The port in Shetland is co-owned by Frank and Debbie Strang who bought the site 15 years ago.
With the UK space industry expanding at the moment, with it worth £17.5bn supporting 48,800 jobs, more spaceports are being planned.
Scotland are planning to follow Cornwall Spaceport in getting permission to build five more sites.
While Glasgow Prestwick and Spaceport Machrihanish are also hoping to join in on the space race.