01
Skyrora hot fires scaled-down orbital rocket in Scotland
Skyrora conducted a 45-second static firing of a scaled-down XL orbital rocket at the Machrihanish test site in Scotland. The test exercised propulsion, pressurization, thermal behavior, fluid flows and other subsystems together, generating data for a subsequent campaign and the full-size launch vehicle. Skyrora XL is planned as a 23-meter, three-stage rocket able to place about 315 kilograms into low Earth or sun-synchronous orbit, with the company targeting launches from SaxaVord once technical, regulatory and range preparations are complete. The firing did not constitute an orbital launch attempt.