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The HyImpulse team with their SR75 rocket.
German rocket startup HyImpulse says it has secured its UK launch operator license as it targets suborbital and then orbital flights from the SaxaVord Spaceport in Scotland.
The company is targeting the first flights of its suborbital SR75 from the spaceport next spring, now that the UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has approved the paperwork, HyImpulse said Oct. 1.
HyImpulse flew the SR75 for the first time in 2024 in South Australia. The single-stage SR75 can deliver 75 lb. thrust at sea level and fly up to 200 km (124 mi.), carrying a 250-kg (551-lb.) payload.
“SR75 is ready for flight, and our teams have completed the major technical and operational preparations required for launch,” CEO Christian Schmierer said. “Our focus is now on completing the final activities within the license framework in close coordination with the CAA and SaxaVord, while preparing for launch as soon as conditions allow.”
The company had previously targeted that flight for this year, but noted the SR75 operates with greater wind limits than a heavier rocket. SaxaVord’s location means wind limits are frequently exceeded during the fall and winter months, it noted.
The SR75 is designed as a stepping stone to the three-stage SL1 that would not be subject to the same range limitations.
The company is betting on a hybrid engine that uses paraffin-based solid fuel and liquid oxygen.
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