Image: Rocket Factory Augsburg
In what was supposedly the last test before the first orbital launch, an anomaly occurred at Rocket Factory Augsburg during a hot-fire test of the first stage and the carrier was lost. So what will happen now during the European launch?
The company announced the anomaly in a statement on social media, saying the vehicle was lost but the launch pad was saved. This test came just weeks before the rocket’s scheduled maiden flight and the UK’s first vertical launch, but now everything is on hold.
The failed test is believed to have occurred during a hot-ignition of all nine engines. However, the company did not disclose how many engines were used during Monday’s test. In recent weeks, the company said it successfully conducted individual hot-ignitions of up to four Helix engines during the first phase. The CEO of OHB, RFA’s majority owner, said the launch is expected to take place in “a few weeks.”
A video of the test obtained by the BBC shows the rocket stage’s engines firing up, followed shortly by an explosion. After the explosion, the test appeared to have been aborted, but a fire continued to burn, likely fueled by fuel leaking from the rocket. The incident ended with the stage falling off the launch pad, triggering a final explosion.
“We are now working closely with the SaxaVord Spaceport and authorities to collect data and information and ultimately clarify what happened,” RFA said in a statement. “Our goal is to return to regular operations as soon as possible.”
The setback puts on hold RFA’s chance of becoming the first of a group of new European startups to attempt an orbital flight. Until Monday’s anomaly, RFA was the frontrunner of the group, launching from the SaxaVord Spaceport in Scotland, north of the Shetland Islands.
Europe desperately needs a competitive market for commercial space launches, as it still relies exclusively on Arianespace for its space flights. The spacecraft currently subsidised by ESA member states are still more expensive than the alternatives across the pond in the US.
The next frontrunner for the next European launch vehicle could be Isar Aerospace with its Spectrum rocket. At the beginning of the year, the company announced a possible launch in summer 2024, but there is no new information from them.
The other market leader could be PLD Space, which is building a launch pad in French Guiana and has already attempted some suborbital launches from Spain. Its Miura 5 rocket is said to be capable of carrying over 1,000 kg of payload into equatorial orbit, similar to the Isar rocket.
Just like SpaceX’s problems with Starship and the early problems with Falcon 1, early failures do not always mean a failed company. How a company gets back on its feet from crisis and continues to work towards its goal will be the key to RFA’s success.
Two contrasting examples are Rocket Lab and Astra Space. The Electron rocket had a rather troubled life, but the company always bounced back and made the best of its mistakes. Astra, on the other hand, seems to have bet on its less-proven design until it was forced to upgrade to a larger, more robust system. While it still exists, it is a shadow of its former self, albeit no longer on the stock market.
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