UK approves first vertical rocket launch

London: The first vertical launch of a rocket into orbit from European soil could take place from the UK s most northerly point this year after a Germ...

London: The first vertical launch of a rocket into orbit from European soil could take place from the UK's most northerly point this year after a German company won approval for spaceflight, regulators announced Thursday.

The UK's Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) said it had granted a launch licence to Rocket Factory Augsburg (RFA), allowing it to send a rocket into space from SaxaVord Spaceport in Scotland's Shetland Islands.

"This is a new era for aerospace and granting the first vertical launch licence from UK soil builds towards a historic milestone for the nation," said CAA CEO Rob Bishton.

"This licence is the culmination of extensive hard work behind the scenes to put appropriate safety and environmental measures in place before launch," he added.

It is the final large regulatory step allowing Rocket Factory Augsburg (RFA) to launch from on Unst, the most northerly of the Shetland Islands.