Skyrora

Last updated

Skyrora Ltd
Type Private
Industry Space
FoundedJune 21, 2017;6 years ago (2017-06-21)
FounderVolodymyr Levykin
Headquarters Edinburgh, Scotland, UK
Key people
  • Volodymyr Levykin (CEO)
Number of employees
160 (2022) [1]
Website www.skyrora.com

Skyrora Ltd is a British private space company based in Edinburgh, Scotland, since 2017.

Contents

The company specialises in the design and manufacture of modular disassemblable rocket launch vehicles, specifically for the launch of small satellites, and portable launch systems, using eco-friendly technologies such as the fuel known as Ecosene and the Skyrora Space Tug. [2] [3] [4] [5] [6] [7]

Skyrora is headquartered in Edinburgh, [8] [9] while its design and manufacturing facility is in Cumbernauld. [10]

The Skyrora CEO and founder is Volodymyr Levykin, previously the COO of an AIM-listed online dating company Cupid plc. [11] [12] [13] [14]

British astronaut Tim Peake is a board member at Skyrora together with Nick Laird, and Baroness Susan Greenfield. [13]

Overview

In May 2020, Skyrora held a successful static fire test of the Skylark L vehicle at a mobile launch site on Kildermorie Estate in Ross-shire. [15]

In August 2018, Skyrora successfully conducted Scotland's first commercial rocket launch by a private company at Kildermorie Estate in Ross-shire. [16] [17] The company launched the 1.3-metre-tall Skylark Nano rocket using an M class model rocketry motor in August 2018 and the 2-metre-tall Skylark Nano II rocket using a Cesaroni M-1520BS model rocketry motor in July 2019. [18] [19] [20] The rockets are all built and assembled in the United Kingdom. [21]

In  April 2021, Skyrora received €3 million of co-funding from the European Space Agency (ESA). [22]

Rockets

Skylark Nano III Start Skylark Nano III Start.jpg
Skylark Nano III Start
Skylark Micro start Skylark Micro start.jpg
Skylark Micro start

Skylark Nano

The Skylark Nano was launched in 2020 as an unguided supersonic rocket designed for simulating a launch to then be recovered with the use of parachutes. Neither a control system nor a thrust vector control system is required.

It has been launched three times as part of Skyrora's de-risking programme in the Scottish Highlands. Following launches in 2018 and 2019, the rocket has reached an altitude of 6 km during the most recent test in Shetland. [18] [19] [23] [24]

Skylark Micro

The Skylark Micro is a two-stage supersonic rocket designed as an intermediate step between Skylark Nano and Skylark L. It was flown in August 2020, reaching an altitude of 27 km. [25] [26] [27] [28]

Skylark L

Skyrora L Skyrora start.jpg
Skyrora L

The Skylark L suborbital launch vehicle is the first Skyrora rocket to use a 3D printed hydrogen peroxide–kerosene engine. [29]

It is capable of fulfilling scientific micro-gravity needs. [30]

Skylark L was developed to launch 60 kg of payload 100 km up. [31]

This rocket was subject to a full static fire test in May 2020 at the Kildermorie Estate in Alness, Scotland, which was the first ground rocket test in Scotland in 50 years. [15] [32]

On 8 October 2022 [33] the Skylark L rocket attempted a suborbital test flight mission from Langanes (Iceland) launch site. Intended apogee was 102 km (63 mi). The vehicle experienced an anomaly shortly after lift-off, landing in the sea 500 m from the pad.

Skyrora XL

The Skyrora XL is a three-stage orbital launch vehicle under development with nine hydrogen peroxide–kerosene engines of the same type used in Skylark L. The first flight will take place no earlier than 2023. [34] It is expected that the rocket will be able to bring a payload of 315 kg to a 500 km orbit. [35]

Skyrora has successfully tested a final stage rocket engine in its first stationary ground-firings. In April 2021, the company successfully tested the upper stage of the Skyrora XL rocket and completed a static fire test in its engine development complex in Fife. [32] [36] Hot-fire tests of the first stage are scheduled to take place in mid-2023. [34]

In October 2021 the company made a multi-launch agreement with SaxaVord Spaceport to launch the Skyrora XL from that location. [37] Skyrora also has an agreement with the Canadian launch provider Maritime Launch Services to launch Skyrora XL from Spaceport Nova Scotia. [38]

Engines

The company has successfully tested several types of engines in 2020 and 2021:

Achievements

In August 2018, Skyrora conducted Scotland's first commercial rocket launch by a private company at Kildermorie Estate in Ross-shire. [2] [48]

In 2020, the company got the status of the Company of a Year in Aerospace & Defense among mid-size companies by Stevie Awards, Inc. after participating in Space Camp accelerator programmes from Seraphim Capital. [49] [3]

In 2019, Skyrora was awarded the CleanTech award at the Go:Tech Awards 2019. In 2020, Skyrora received the Leif Erikson Lunar Prize Award for its innovative project ‘Ecosene’. [50] [51]

In 2020, during the Aviation & Aerospace Awards 2020, Skyrora won the ‘Best Small Satellite Launch Vehicle Manufacturer Award’. [52]

In 2021, Skyrora received £2.5 million in funding from European Space Agency as a part of ESA's Boost! programme. [53] [54]

On 30 March 2022, Skyrora won the Best Innovation in Business award from the Midlothian & East Lothian Chamber of Commerce. [55]

From the first days of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Skyrora's factory in Ukraine has remained fully functional, contributing to further progress of the company. [56]

Skyrora aims to launch its first three-stage Skyrora XL rocket from SaxaVord spaceport, which is still under construction. [57]

On May 26, 2022, Skyrora has completed a 70 kN hot-fire test for its 3D printed rocket engine, which will be used in the company's XL launch vehicle. [58]

On March 15, 2022, Skyrora announced the opening of a new rocket engine testing facility in Midlothian, Scotland, occupying an area of over 120,000 square feet. The site will host a team of up to 20 engineers once the testing site is running at full capacity. [59] [60]

In June 2022, Lee Rosen, SpaceX's former vice president of mission and launch operations, joined Skyrora as a new chief operating officer. [61] [62]

In July 2022, Skyrora opened a new manufacturing and production facility in Cumbernauld, Scotland. The site appears to be the largest of its kind in the UK. [63] [64]

In August 2022, Skyrora submitted its application to the UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) to receive the licence required for commercial spaceflight activities. The launch operator licence will allow Skyrora to undertake its planned orbital launches in 2023. [65] [66]

Education

The company has organised a graduate placement program to help the graduates and young talents to get into the sector. They offer technical positions for students and summer internships. [67]

Skyrora has helped fund the retrieval of the first stages of Black Arrow R2 and R3 and provided sponsorship for the UKSEDS programme. [68] [69]

Ecological fuel

Skyrora has upgraded its kerosene made of unrecyclable waste plastic to be used as rocket fuel – Ecosene. The new fuel is said to produce 45 percent less greenhouse gas than traditional fuel. In February 2020, Skyrora has already used the fuel to fire its LEO engine for the final stage of Skyrora XL rocket at their engine test complex. [70] [71] [72]

Skyrora started to use 3D printers to manufacture various rocketry components as a sustainable methodology of production. [5]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Timeline of first orbital launches by country</span> List of first orbital launches by country

This is a timeline of first orbital launches by country. While a number of countries, incl. Canada, Australia, Germany, Brazil, Algeria, Kazakhstan, Turkey, Argentina, Italy, Malaysia, Poland, South Africa, Nigeria, the Philippines, Egypt, Spain, Mexico, Thailand and Chile, have built or launched satellites, as of 2022, eleven countries, incl. the United States, Japan, India, China, Iran, Israel, France, the United Kingdom and South Korea, have had the capability to send objects into orbit with their own launch vehicles. Russia and Ukraine inherited the capability of the space launchers and satellites from the Soviet Union, following its dissolution in 1991. Russia launches its rockets from its own and foreign (Kazakh) spaceports.

UP Aerospace, Inc. is a private spaceflight corporation headquartered in Denver, Colorado. UP Aerospace provides sub-orbital transportation for corporate, military and educational payloads, via their SpaceLoft XL sounding rocket launch vehicles.

The SpaceLoft XL is a sounding rocket developed by private spaceflight company UP Aerospace. The rocket is capable of lofting a 79 lb (36 kg) payload to a sub-orbital trajectory with an apogee of about 71.5 miles (115 km). It travels for approximately 60 seconds to cross the Kármán line. All launches are sub-orbital and do not complete one orbital revolution. Launches are conducted from the company launch facility at Spaceport America in Upham, New Mexico.

The British space programme is the British government's work to develop British space capabilities. The objectives of the current civil programme are to "win sustainable economic growth, secure new scientific knowledge and provide benefits to all citizens."

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Comparison of orbital launch systems</span>

This comparison of orbital launch systems lists the attributes of all individual rocket configurations designed to reach orbit. A first list contains rockets that are operational or in development as of 2023; a second list includes all upcoming rockets and a third list includes all retired rockets For the simple list of all conventional launcher families, see: Comparison of orbital launchers families. For the list of predominantly solid-fueled orbital launch systems, see: Comparison of solid-fueled orbital launch systems.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2016 in spaceflight</span> Spaceflight-related events during the year of 2016

Several new rockets and spaceports began operations in 2016.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Astra (American spaceflight company)</span> American aerospace company

Astra is an American launch vehicle company based in Alameda, California. Astra was incorporated in October 2016 by Chris Kemp and Adam London. Formerly known in media as "Stealth Space Company", the company formally came out as Astra Space, Inc. in a Bloomberg L.P. article by Ashlee Vance. Investors include BlackRock, Advance, ACME, Airbus Ventures, Innovation Endeavors, Salesforce co-founder Marc Benioff, former Disney CEO Michael Eisner, and more.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rocket Lab Electron</span> Two-stage small launch vehicle

Electron is a two-stage, partially recoverable orbital launch vehicle developed by Rocket Lab, an American aerospace company with a wholly owned New Zealand subsidiary. Electron was developed to service the commercial small satellite launch market. Its Rutherford engines are the first electric-pump-fed engine to power an orbital-class rocket. Electron is often flown with a kickstage or Rocket Lab's Photon spacecraft. Although the rocket was designed to be expendable, Rocket Lab has recovered the first stage twice and is working towards the capability of reusing the booster. The Flight 26 (F26) booster has featured the first helicopter catch recovery attempt.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gilmour Space Technologies</span> Australian space company

Gilmour Space Technologies is a venture-funded Australian space company headquartered in Queensland, Australia that is developing hybrid-engine rockets and associated technology to support the development of a low-cost space launch vehicle.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Vector-R</span> Launch vehicle

Vector-R is a two-stage orbital expendable launch vehicle under development by the American aerospace company Vector Launch to cover the commercial small satellite launch segment (CubeSats). Vector Launch went bankrupt in December 2019 and re-emerged in October 2020. Two prototypes were launched in 2017.

Relativity Space is an American aerospace manufacturing company headquartered in Long Beach, California. Relativity Space is developing manufacturing technologies, launch vehicles, and rocket engines for commercial orbital launch services. The company is notable for manufacturing most of their Terran 1 and Terran R rocket parts using 3D printing.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sutherland spaceport</span> Proposed spaceport of the United Kingdom

The Sutherland spaceport, also known as Space Hub Sutherland or UKVL Sutherland, is a planned spaceport in the United Kingdom. It would be the first vertical launch capable spaceport in the United Kingdom, and operated by a commercial entity. The spaceport is intended to support the Orbex Prime launch vehicle. The spaceport will be located on the A' Mhòine peninsula northwest of Tongue village, Sutherland, Scotland. Groundbreaking occurred on 5 May 2023.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Orbex</span> Aerospace company in the United Kingdom

Orbital Express Launch Ltd., or Orbex, is a United Kingdom-based aerospace company that is developing a small commercial orbital rocket called Prime. Orbex is headquartered in Forres, Moray, in Scotland and has subsidiaries in Denmark and Germany. Its future launch complex, Sutherland spaceport, is being built on the A' Mhòine peninsula in the county of Sutherland, northern Scotland.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">SaxaVord Spaceport</span> Proposed spaceport in Scotland

SaxaVord Spaceport, previously known as Shetland Space Centre, is a planned spaceport to be located on the Lamba Ness peninsula on Unst, the most northerly of the Shetland Islands. The proposed site is near the RAF Saxa Vord radar station and the settlement of Skaw, adjacent to the Saxa Vord distillery.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">ABL Space Systems</span> American space launch technology company

ABL Space Systems is an American aerospace and launch service provider, based in El Segundo, California, that manufactures deployable launch vehicles and infrastructure for sending commercial small satellites into orbit. The company manufactures its components in the United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rocket Factory Augsburg</span> German New Space start-up

Rocket Factory Augsburg AG (RFA) is a German New Space start-up located in Augsburg. It was founded in 2018 with the mission to build rockets just like cars. Its multistage rocket, RFA One, is currently under development and scheduled to launch in the summer of 2024.

According to the UK Space Agency, there are 173 space companies currently operating in Scotland as of May 2021. These include spacecraft manufacturers, launch providers, downstream data analyzers, and research organisations.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Success Rockets</span> Private Russian rocket company

Success Rockets is a private Russian space company that produces ultralight suborbital and orbital launch vehicles, small spacecraft, satellite constellations, and space tugs. The company was founded in 2020 by Oleg Mansurov. In October 2021, Success Rockets includes subsidiaries in several Russian regions.

References

  1. Kahn, Jermey (2022-03-17). "How a British rocket startup raced to evacuate its employees' families from Ukraine". Fortune .
  2. 1 2 "Scotland's first commercial rocket launch an 'important step'". The National. 31 August 2018. Retrieved 2021-04-28.
  3. 1 2 Grossman, David (30 August 2020). "Meet Skyrora: The rocket company bringing balance to the modern space race". Inverse. Retrieved 2021-04-28.
  4. 1 2 Field, Matthew (2021-01-09). "Scottish rocket firm Skyrora tests 'space tug'". The Telegraph. ISSN   0307-1235 . Retrieved 2021-04-28.
  5. 1 2 "Rockets could launch from UK next year as government provides regulatory 'launchpad'". www.imeche.org. Retrieved 2021-06-07.
  6. Walker, Peter A. (2021-02-05). "Scottish rocket firm's 'space tug' gives space sustainability dream a lift". businessInsider. Retrieved 2021-06-07.
  7. "Launch startup Skyrora successfully tests 3D-printed rocket engines powered by plastic waste". TechCrunch. 3 February 2020. Retrieved 2021-06-07.
  8. "Space Spotlight: Skyrora has one incredible secret to share | Scotland.org". Scotland. Retrieved 2021-04-28.
  9. "Skyrora Opens Engine Test Complex in Scotland - Via Satellite -". Via Satellite. 2020-07-14. Retrieved 2021-04-28.
  10. Christian, Alex (2023-02-23). "On-Demand Rocket Launches Are Coming". Wired .
  11. MarketScreener (6 December 2012). "Cupid PLC : Director Appointment and broadening of Exec team | MarketScreener". www.marketscreener.com. Retrieved 2021-04-28.
  12. "Volodymyr Levykin – CEO, Skyrora – Spaceoneers.io". spaceoneers.io. Retrieved 2021-04-28.
  13. 1 2 Group, Satellite Evolution (2020-07-01). "Astronaut Tim Peake joins Skyrora's advisory board". satellite-evolution. Retrieved 2021-04-28.
  14. "Scottish satellite tech firm warns of looming space junk 'disaster' after uncontrolled Chinese rocket descent". FutureScot. 2021-05-21. Retrieved 2021-06-18.
  15. 1 2 "Skyrora and UK's first rocket launch test in 50 years - Early Day Motions - UK Parliament". edm.parliament.uk. Retrieved 2021-04-28.
  16. "'First' commercial rocket launched from Scotland". BBC News. 2018-08-31. Retrieved 2021-04-28.
  17. insider.co.uk (2018-08-30). "Scotland's first commercial rocket launch hailed a success". businessInsider. Retrieved 2021-04-28.
  18. 1 2 "Scottish startup Skyrora successfully launched its first rocket, Skylark Nano, from Shetland". Tech2. 2020-06-17. Retrieved 2021-04-28.
  19. 1 2 Shipley, Andy (2020-06-15). "Footage shows Skylark Nano rocket launch from Shetland in space programme boost". Daily Record. Retrieved 2021-04-28.
  20. "Rocket startup Skyrora achieves a successful sub-orbital launch from Scottish island". TechCrunch. 15 June 2020. Retrieved 2021-04-28.
  21. Skyrora, Katie Miller, Head of Communications and Engagement (2021-05-29). "UK to be next SPACE SUPERPOWER with three spaceports by next summer COMMENT". Express.co.uk. Retrieved 2021-06-18.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  22. LaraHunterDouglas (2021-05-27). "Rocket firm all systems go following new legislation". The Edinburgh Reporter. Retrieved 2021-06-07.
  23. "Skylark Nano – Parabolic Arc" . Retrieved 2021-04-28.
  24. Rodger, Paul. "Skylark Nano: Shetland propelled into the rocket age with first launch". The Times . ISSN   0140-0460 . Retrieved 2021-04-28.
  25. O'Callaghan, Jonathan. "Skyrora Rocket Launch From Iceland Reaches Three Times The Height Of Mount Everest". Forbes. Retrieved 2021-04-28.
  26. admin (2020-08-18). "Skyrora's Skylark micro rocket launches from Iceland". The Edinburgh Reporter. Retrieved 2021-04-28.
  27. "Skyrora's Skylark Micro Rocket Set For Icelandic Launch – SatNews". news.satnews.com. Retrieved 2021-04-28.
  28. "Skyrora's Skylark Micro Rocket Set For Icelandic Launch". smallsatnews.com. Retrieved 2021-04-28.
  29. "Skyrora's 3D Printed-Engine Rocket Completes First UK Ground Test in 50 Years". 3DPrint.com | The Voice of 3D Printing / Additive Manufacturing. 2020-05-27. Retrieved 2021-04-28.
  30. O'Callaghan, Jonathan. "Major Rocket Test Takes Place In The U.K. For The First Time In 50 Years". Forbes. Retrieved 2021-04-28.
  31. Speed, Richard. "UK takes a step closer to domestic launches as Skyrora fires up Skylark-L". www.theregister.com. Retrieved 2021-04-28.
  32. 1 2 Speed, Richard. "Brit rocketeer Skyrora reckons it'll be orbital in 3 years – that is, if UK government plays ball". www.theregister.com. Retrieved 2021-04-28.
  33. "Skyrora attempts first rocket launch to space with Icelandic mobile spaceport". Skyrora (Press release). 13 October 2022. Retrieved 13 October 2022.
  34. 1 2 Berger, Eric (19 August 2022). "Rocket Report: Europe wants a super-heavy lifter, Starship nets launch contract". Ars Technica. Retrieved 23 August 2022.
  35. Skyrora XL Payload User's Guide (PDF). Skyrora Ltd. October 2019. p. 27. Retrieved March 6, 2023.
  36. "The UK's First Complete Ground Rocket Test in 50 Years Takes Place in Scotland | Skyrora". www.skyrora.com. 20 May 2020. Retrieved 2021-04-28.
  37. "Skyrora agrees multi-launch deal with Shetland Spaceport for the next decade". Skyrora (Press release). 12 October 2021. Retrieved 12 October 2021.
  38. "Precious Payload Partners With Maritime Launch, Adding Canada's First Commercial Spaceport, Spaceport Nova Scotia, to Launch.ctrl Marketplace" (Press release). 8 December 2022. Retrieved 10 December 2022.
  39. Maday, Melissa (2020-05-21). "Skyrora Completes The UK's First Complete Ground Rocket Test in 50 Years, In Scotland". SpaceWatch.Global. Retrieved 2021-04-28.
  40. "Engines - Skyforce-2" (PDF).
  41. "Rocket Engine Test Complex Opened in Scotland by Skyrora – SatNews". news.satnews.com. Retrieved 2021-04-28.
  42. O'Callaghan, Jonathan. "Scottish Launch Startup Skyrora Tests Rocket Engine That Could Reach Orbit From The U.K. In 2022". Forbes. Retrieved 2021-04-28.
  43. "Skyrora Completes Successful Test Firings Of Their LEO Engine – SatNews". news.satnews.com. Retrieved 2021-04-28.
  44. Jonathan O'Callaghan (11 January 2021). "British Launch Company Skyrora Completes Testing On Rocket Upper Stage – And Hopes To Reach Space This Year". Forbes. Retrieved March 5, 2023.
  45. "UK tests 'Space Tug' capable of refiring its engine several times in orbit, and collecting space junk". TechCrunch. 12 January 2021. Retrieved 2021-04-28.
  46. Fish, Tom (2021-01-22). "UK space breakthrough as Skyrora XL becomes Britain's first 'mission-ready' rocket". Express.co.uk. Retrieved 2021-04-28.
  47. Allison, George (2021-01-11). "Scottish space company Skyrora tests new 'space tug' vehicle" . Retrieved 2021-04-28.
  48. Second test launch mission - Skylark Nano II , retrieved 2021-04-28
  49. Gavin, Alain. "Skyrora heading for the Stars (via Passle)". Passle. Retrieved 2021-04-28.
  50. "Previous Winners". Go:Tech Awards. Retrieved 2021-04-28.
  51. Group, Satellite Evolution (2020-09-07). "British rocket company Skyrora receives Icelandic Leif Erikson Award for its environmental efforts". satellite-evolution. Retrieved 2021-04-28.
  52. "Aviation and Aerospace Awards 2020". www.corpvision-news.com. Retrieved 2021-04-28.
  53. "Two Scottish space companies secure £8.5 million". GOV.UK. Retrieved 2021-04-28.
  54. "ESA awards €10.45 million to two UK launch startups". SpaceNews. 2021-03-24. Retrieved 2021-04-28.
  55. Thorpe, Emma (2022-04-28). "Skyrora Wins Best Innovation in Business Award from the Chamber of Commerce". Orbital Today. Retrieved 2022-08-30.
  56. "Ukrainian Space Industry Woes Also Hit the West". www.defense-aerospace.com. Retrieved 2022-08-30.
  57. Andrew Jones published (2022-04-11). "Spaceport construction set to begin on UK's northernmost island". Space.com. Retrieved 2022-08-30.
  58. "3D Printing Industry-The Authority on 3D Printing & Additive Manufacturing". 3D Printing Industry. Retrieved 2022-08-30.
  59. "Skyrora Opens New Engine Testing Facility in Scotland - Via Satellite -". Via Satellite. 2022-03-15. Retrieved 2022-08-30.
  60. Speed, Richard. "Skyrora opens Scottish rocket testing site". www.theregister.com. Retrieved 2022-08-30.
  61. Titcomb, James (2022-06-09). "Elon Musk's SpaceX executive is poached by Scottish rocket company". The Telegraph. ISSN   0307-1235 . Retrieved 2022-08-30.
  62. "Lee Rosen on swapping SpaceX for Skyrora and launching from UK soil". UKTN | UK Tech News. 2022-08-03. Retrieved 2022-08-30.
  63. "Cumbernauld space rocket facility opens for production". BBC News. 15 July 2022. Retrieved 2022-08-30.
  64. "Skyrora opens rocket engine factory in Cumbernauld". UKTN | UK Tech News. 2022-07-14. Retrieved 2022-08-30.
  65. "UK rocket firm Skyrora applies to CAA for space launch licence". The Manufacturer. Retrieved 2022-08-30.
  66. "UK rocket firm Skyrora applies for space launch licence". Aerospace Testing International. 2022-08-04. Retrieved 2022-08-30.
  67. "Student pair to reach for stars after winning placement with Scots space firm". The National. 19 February 2021. Retrieved 2021-04-28.
  68. "Black Arrow: UK space rocket returns home from Australia". BBC News. 2019-01-21. Retrieved 2021-06-07.
  69. LaraHunterDouglas (2021-04-28). "Skyrora launches online store inspiring future space commanders". The Edinburgh Reporter. Retrieved 2021-06-07.
  70. "Skyrora - Event" (PDF).
  71. O'Callaghan, Jonathan. "A Scottish Launch Company Just Tested A 'Green' Rocket Engine That Uses Waste Plastic As Fuel". Forbes. Retrieved 2021-04-28.
  72. "Launch startup Skyrora successfully tests 3D-printed rocket engines powered by plastic waste". TechCrunch. 3 February 2020. Retrieved 2021-04-28.