SaxaVord Spaceport has officially cancelled its plans to build a shared suborbital launch rail. The project, previously known as Project SkyReach, was initially backed by a £378 000 grant from the UK Space Agency in December 2022. However, the agency later listed the initiative as an undelivered milestone in its 2023/24 annual report.
German manufacturer HyImpulse will now provide its own launch infrastructure for the upcoming second flight of its SR75 rocket. The company developed this rail through the Sustainable Hybrid: Accelerated Rocket Programme (SHARP), which received nearly £5 million in funding from the UK Space Agency in July 2024 as part of a larger £33 million package.
Preparatory work at Launch Pad 3 in SaxaVord is already complete, with concrete and fittings installed to accommodate the new equipment. The SR75 rocket, an 11-metre vehicle capable of carrying 250-kilogram payloads to 200 kilometres, is scheduled for launch between 5 and 18 October. The flight will conclude with a splashdown 135 kilometres north of the site.
The UK government recently reaffirmed its commitment to the spaceport, pledging £30 million to enhance infrastructure for polar and sun-synchronous missions. Despite this investment, the specific launch rail project remains abandoned. The UK Space Agency has not provided further comment regarding the status of the original development plans.
