309:
535:
316:
422:
29:
434:
in
Scotland. The company said that the multi-year partnership included a "double-digit million pound investment" in SaxaVord by RFA. The company will use the facility to launch RFA One launch vehicle to polar and Sun-synchronous orbits. The maiden flight of the RFA One is planned to be launched from
234:
vehicle began in August 2021 with cryogenic pressure testing on a prototype first stage, and hot fire tests of the Helix rocket engine began in July 2022, with an integrated stage+engine system test of 280 seconds duration in March 2023. By May 2024, a hot fire test with five Helix engines was
523:(OTV). Since its Fenix engine can be fired multiple times, it is able to reach different orbits within a single flight and complete different missions for different customers. It will use a non-hydrazine based, relightable green propellant.
250:
with all nine engines, the same hardware that was slated to fly on the maiden flight of RFA One. An anomaly occurred that resulted in a fire, subsequent explosion, loss of the stage, and significant damage to the launch mount.
495:
The first stage is powered by nine Helix engines, each producing 100kN of thrust. The second stage will use one engine, a vacuum-optimised version of the Helix engine. The Helix engine uses rocket-grade kerosene, known as
704:
578:
346:
269:
Since March 2021, the main factory and offices have been located at
Berliner Allee 65, Augsburg. The company has a team based at the rocket engine development and test site
480:. The vehicle is 30 m (98 ft) long with a diameter of 2 m (6 ft 7 in). It has been in development since 2019. The vehicle is designed to transport
1079:
450:
test anomaly in August 2024, the company anticipates its initial launch in 2025, following extensive testing and assembly in
Augsburg and on-site preparation.
165:, is currently under development. As of November 2023, it had been scheduled to launch during the summer of 2024; however, an anomaly during a
1293:
361:
308:
907:
254:
Ground testing of a new RFA One launch vehicle is slated for 2025, and 2025 is also the revised estimate for an initial orbital launch attempt.
220:
In March 2021 RFA relocated to a new headquarters facility in
Augsburg. The company employs more than 300 people from more than 30 countries.
1355:
1266:
1157:
1105:
635:
227:(DLR) aboard each of the first two RFA One flights. RFA will also receive €11 million to further the development of its launch vehicle.
223:
In April 2022 RFA won the second round of the "DLR microlauncher competition". As part of this contract RFA will launch 150 kg for the
1340:
1212:
608:
1350:
266:, with composite material manufacturing in Portugal, test facilities in Sweden and Scotland, and a launch facility in Scotland.
1345:
858:
1360:
733:
239:. and the Redshift third stage was tested with RFA-manufactured Fenix engine for the full flight duration in July 2024.
1183:
1026:
802:
830:
1132:
398:
705:"German Microlauncher start-up Rocket Factory announces unrivalled low price of EUR 3 million per rocket launch"
579:"German Microlauncher start-up Rocket Factory announces unrivalled low price of EUR 3 million per rocket launch"
512:. Some components used in early engine versions, such as the turbopump, were bought from the Ukrainian company
340:
354:
664:
520:
190:
908:"RFA completed a crucial Full Duration Hot Fire Test of the RFA One Upper Stage | Space Voyaging"
803:"German startup Rocket Factory Augsburg successfully performs critical tests ahead of 2022 debut"
509:
281:. Since June 2021 RFA has had a Portuguese subsidiary, "RFA Portugal Unipessoal LDA," located in
224:
210:
202:
194:
516:
to shorten development time. Later versions of these components have been developed internally.
430:
In
January 2023, RFA announced that it had secured exclusive access to Launch Pad Fredo at the
247:
166:
489:
438:
On 29 January 2024, RFA announced plans to launch rockets monthly from SaxaVord
Spaceport on
172:
test in August 2024 resulted in destruction of the stage, and the launch has been postponed.
979:"Fire tests of the upper Redshift rocket stage have been completed in Germany - Pravda EN"
8:
505:
540:
431:
286:
236:
1004:
952:
446:, aiming to be Europe's first-ever launch delivering a satellite into orbit. After a
217:) made up the board of RFA. OHB SE and Apollo Capital Partners GmbH are investors.
158:
978:
443:
807:
683:
485:
481:
473:
636:"Rocket Factory Augsburg perceives historic moment for European launch industry"
548:
465:
413:
157:. It was founded in 2018 with the mission to build rockets just like cars. Its
929:
884:
1334:
513:
501:
376:
363:
1294:"Kleinraketen: Bund beflügelt Rocket Factory Augsburg mit 11 Millionen Euro"
1080:"Rocket Factory Augsburg: Wird das Deutschlands erste kommerzielle Rakete?"
329:
1213:"German company aims for rocket launch every month from Shetland Islands"
477:
447:
243:
214:
169:
328:
Launch site location on Unst island, shown within the
Shetland Islands,
209:). As of 2021, Spurmann, Brieschenk, Steiniger, Fuchs, Stefan Tweraser (
1267:"Rocket Factory Augsburg Chose Helix Rocket Engine in a Public Contest"
282:
1158:"Rocket Factory Augsburg launches new offices at Matosinhos, Portugal"
1106:"Rocket Factory Augsburg launches new offices at Matosinhos, Portugal"
1031:
668:
640:
558:
553:
47:
687:
403:
154:
150:
101:
1238:
1053:
469:
459:
270:
231:
162:
859:"RFA Wins 11 Million Euros in the DLR Microlauncher Competition"
734:"A New CEO Is Named For Rocket Factory Augsburg (RFA) – SatNews"
761:
278:
274:
263:
206:
186:
1027:"RFA pushes maiden flight to 2025 after launchpad explosion"
28:
831:"Rocket Factory Augsburg gets €30 million investment boost"
497:
439:
504:
oxidizer. During 2020 the company redesigned Helix from a
315:
198:
134:
1323:
684:
Rocket engine explodes during test at
Shetland spaceport
519:
The third stage, named
Redshift, will function as an
185:
Rocket
Factory Augsburg was founded as a spin-off of
1184:"RFA secure exclusive access to SaxaVord launch pad"
530:
609:"Rocket Factory Augsburg: Der "Henry-Ford-Moment""
997:
1332:
703:AG, Rocket Factory Augsburg (12 February 2021).
577:AG, Rocket Factory Augsburg (12 February 2021).
931:RFA One´s first stage arrived on the launch pad
1133:"Rocket Factory Augsburg expands to Portugal"
1020:
1018:
796:
794:
792:
790:
788:
786:
784:
782:
780:
778:
679:
677:
665:RFA first stage destroyed in static-fire test
660:
658:
1231:
262:RFA is headquartered in Augsburg, close to
1015:
775:
674:
627:
472:, a three-stage rocket designed to launch
27:
655:
1024:
1333:
1291:
1261:
1259:
1207:
1205:
1130:
853:
851:
828:
633:
606:
1356:German companies established in 2018
1077:
800:
756:
754:
728:
726:
698:
696:
602:
600:
476:and payloads of up to 1,300 kg into
213:of RFA), and Jean-Jacques Dordain (
13:
1256:
1202:
848:
702:
634:Jones, Andrew (15 November 2023).
607:Sürig, Dieter (11 February 2021).
576:
322:SaxaVord Spaceport RFA launch site
293:SaxaVord Spaceport RFA launch site
201:of MT Aerospace) and Marco Fuchs (
14:
1372:
1315:
1025:Rainbow, Jason (23 August 2024).
762:"ABOUT – Rocket Factory Augsburg"
751:
723:
693:
597:
453:
1341:Space launch vehicles of Germany
1292:Krempl, Stefan (26 April 2022).
533:
464:Rocket Factory Augsburg's first
420:
314:
307:
1285:
1176:
1150:
1124:
1098:
1071:
1046:
971:
945:
922:
900:
877:
829:Jones, Andrew (8 August 2023).
822:
801:Beil, Adrian (30 August 2021).
421:
1351:Aerospace companies of Germany
1078:Menn, Andreas (21 June 2021).
953:"Rocket Factory Augsburg on X"
570:
1:
1346:Private spaceflight companies
1131:Payer, Markus (1 July 2021).
564:
242:On Monday, 19 August 2024, a
941:– via www.youtube.com.
257:
193:of RFA), Stefan Brieschenk (
7:
1361:Companies based in Augsburg
526:
10:
1377:
886:Cryogenic Burst Test - RFA
482:small and micro-satellites
457:
189:in 2018 by Jörn Spurmann (
180:
175:
143:Rocket Factory Augsburg AG
22:Rocket Factory Augsburg AG
1005:"Rocket factory Augsburg"
419:
409:
397:
392:
353:
339:
302:
297:
285:, to develop and qualify
230:Testing of the assembled
197:of RFA), Hans Steiniger (
130:
120:
112:
96:
88:
71:
53:
43:
35:
26:
16:German New Space start-up
521:orbital transfer vehicle
1243:Rocket Factory Augsburg
1058:Rocket Factory Augsburg
709:GlobeNewswire News Room
583:GlobeNewswire News Room
510:staged combustion cycle
225:German Aerospace Center
377:60.818091°N 0.771597°W
135:https://www.rfa.space/
39:Privately held company
490:Sun-synchronous orbit
59:; 6 years ago
1188:European Spaceflight
382:60.818091; -0.771597
287:composite structures
246:test of the RFA One
153:start-up located in
506:gas-generator cycle
373: /
294:
122:Number of employees
23:
541:Spaceflight portal
508:to an oxygen-rich
432:SaxaVord Spaceport
292:
237:SaxaVord Spaceport
21:
1219:. 29 January 2024
1190:. 11 January 2023
1137:SpaceWatch.Global
1011:. 19 August 2024.
671:, 19 August 2024.
428:
427:
341:OS grid reference
159:multistage rocket
140:
139:
81:Stefan Brieschenk
1368:
1327:
1326:
1324:Official website
1310:
1309:
1307:
1305:
1289:
1283:
1282:
1280:
1278:
1263:
1254:
1253:
1251:
1249:
1235:
1229:
1228:
1226:
1224:
1209:
1200:
1199:
1197:
1195:
1180:
1174:
1173:
1171:
1169:
1154:
1148:
1147:
1145:
1143:
1128:
1122:
1121:
1119:
1117:
1102:
1096:
1095:
1093:
1091:
1075:
1069:
1068:
1066:
1064:
1050:
1044:
1043:
1041:
1039:
1022:
1013:
1012:
1001:
995:
994:
992:
990:
975:
969:
968:
966:
964:
949:
943:
942:
940:
938:
926:
920:
919:
917:
915:
904:
898:
897:
896:
894:
889:, 30 August 2021
881:
875:
874:
872:
870:
855:
846:
845:
843:
841:
826:
820:
819:
817:
815:
798:
773:
772:
770:
768:
758:
749:
748:
746:
744:
738:news.satnews.com
730:
721:
720:
718:
716:
700:
691:
690:, 19 August 2024
681:
672:
662:
653:
652:
650:
648:
631:
625:
624:
622:
620:
604:
595:
594:
592:
590:
574:
543:
538:
537:
536:
474:small satellites
444:Shetland Islands
424:
423:
388:
387:
385:
384:
383:
378:
374:
371:
370:
369:
366:
349:
318:
317:
311:
295:
291:
67:
65:
60:
31:
24:
20:
1376:
1375:
1371:
1370:
1369:
1367:
1366:
1365:
1331:
1330:
1322:
1321:
1318:
1313:
1303:
1301:
1290:
1286:
1276:
1274:
1265:
1264:
1257:
1247:
1245:
1237:
1236:
1232:
1222:
1220:
1217:The Independent
1211:
1210:
1203:
1193:
1191:
1182:
1181:
1177:
1167:
1165:
1156:
1155:
1151:
1141:
1139:
1129:
1125:
1115:
1113:
1104:
1103:
1099:
1089:
1087:
1076:
1072:
1062:
1060:
1052:
1051:
1047:
1037:
1035:
1023:
1016:
1003:
1002:
998:
988:
986:
983:news-pravda.com
977:
976:
972:
962:
960:
951:
950:
946:
936:
934:
928:
927:
923:
913:
911:
906:
905:
901:
892:
890:
883:
882:
878:
868:
866:
865:. 26 April 2022
863:NewSpace Global
857:
856:
849:
839:
837:
827:
823:
813:
811:
808:NASASpaceFlight
799:
776:
766:
764:
760:
759:
752:
742:
740:
732:
731:
724:
714:
712:
711:(Press release)
701:
694:
682:
675:
663:
656:
646:
644:
632:
628:
618:
616:
605:
598:
588:
586:
585:(Press release)
575:
571:
567:
539:
534:
532:
529:
486:Low Earth orbit
462:
456:
410:Sovereign state
381:
379:
375:
372:
367:
364:
362:
360:
359:
345:
335:
334:
333:
332:
326:
325:
324:
323:
319:
260:
183:
178:
126:200 (2023)
123:
108:
104:
84:
63:
61:
58:
17:
12:
11:
5:
1374:
1364:
1363:
1358:
1353:
1348:
1343:
1329:
1328:
1317:
1316:External links
1314:
1312:
1311:
1284:
1255:
1230:
1201:
1175:
1149:
1123:
1097:
1070:
1045:
1014:
996:
985:. 19 July 2024
970:
944:
921:
910:. 11 June 2023
899:
876:
847:
821:
774:
750:
722:
692:
673:
654:
626:
613:Süddeutsche.de
596:
568:
566:
563:
562:
561:
556:
551:
549:Isar Aerospace
545:
544:
528:
525:
466:launch vehicle
458:Main article:
455:
454:Launch vehicle
452:
426:
425:
417:
416:
414:United Kingdom
411:
407:
406:
401:
395:
394:
393:Administration
390:
389:
357:
351:
350:
343:
337:
336:
327:
321:
320:
313:
312:
306:
305:
304:
303:
300:
299:
289:for RFA One.
259:
256:
182:
179:
177:
174:
149:) is a German
138:
137:
132:
128:
127:
124:
121:
118:
117:
114:
110:
109:
106:
100:
98:
94:
93:
90:
86:
85:
83:
82:
79:
75:
73:
69:
68:
55:
51:
50:
45:
41:
40:
37:
33:
32:
15:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1373:
1362:
1359:
1357:
1354:
1352:
1349:
1347:
1344:
1342:
1339:
1338:
1336:
1325:
1320:
1319:
1299:
1295:
1288:
1272:
1271:Orbital Today
1268:
1262:
1260:
1244:
1240:
1234:
1218:
1214:
1208:
1206:
1189:
1185:
1179:
1164:. 7 July 2021
1163:
1162:Orbital Today
1159:
1153:
1138:
1134:
1127:
1112:. 7 July 2021
1111:
1110:Orbital Today
1107:
1101:
1085:
1081:
1074:
1059:
1055:
1049:
1034:
1033:
1028:
1021:
1019:
1010:
1006:
1000:
984:
980:
974:
959:. 19 May 2024
958:
954:
948:
933:
932:
925:
909:
903:
888:
887:
880:
864:
860:
854:
852:
836:
832:
825:
810:
809:
804:
797:
795:
793:
791:
789:
787:
785:
783:
781:
779:
763:
757:
755:
739:
735:
729:
727:
710:
706:
699:
697:
689:
685:
680:
678:
670:
666:
661:
659:
643:
642:
637:
630:
614:
610:
603:
601:
584:
580:
573:
569:
560:
557:
555:
552:
550:
547:
546:
542:
531:
524:
522:
517:
515:
511:
507:
503:
502:liquid oxygen
499:
493:
491:
487:
483:
479:
475:
471:
467:
461:
451:
449:
445:
441:
436:
433:
418:
415:
412:
408:
405:
402:
400:
396:
391:
386:
358:
356:
352:
348:
344:
342:
338:
331:
310:
301:
296:
290:
288:
284:
280:
276:
272:
267:
265:
255:
252:
249:
245:
240:
238:
235:performed at
233:
228:
226:
221:
218:
216:
212:
208:
204:
200:
196:
192:
188:
173:
171:
168:
164:
160:
156:
152:
148:
144:
136:
133:
129:
125:
119:
115:
111:
103:
99:
95:
91:
87:
80:
78:Jörn Spurmann
77:
76:
74:
70:
56:
52:
49:
46:
42:
38:
34:
30:
25:
19:
1302:. Retrieved
1298:heise online
1297:
1287:
1275:. Retrieved
1273:. 5 May 2022
1270:
1246:. Retrieved
1242:
1233:
1221:. Retrieved
1216:
1192:. Retrieved
1187:
1178:
1166:. Retrieved
1161:
1152:
1140:. Retrieved
1136:
1126:
1114:. Retrieved
1109:
1100:
1088:. Retrieved
1083:
1073:
1061:. Retrieved
1057:
1048:
1036:. Retrieved
1030:
1008:
999:
987:. Retrieved
982:
973:
961:. Retrieved
956:
947:
935:. Retrieved
930:
924:
912:. Retrieved
902:
891:, retrieved
885:
879:
867:. Retrieved
862:
838:. Retrieved
834:
824:
812:. Retrieved
806:
765:. Retrieved
741:. Retrieved
737:
713:. Retrieved
708:
645:. Retrieved
639:
629:
617:. Retrieved
612:
587:. Retrieved
582:
572:
518:
494:
478:polar orbits
463:
437:
429:
330:Scotland, UK
268:
261:
253:
241:
229:
222:
219:
184:
146:
142:
141:
97:Headquarters
36:Company type
18:
1300:(in German)
1168:16 November
1142:16 November
1090:16 November
1086:(in German)
1084:www.wiwo.de
814:16 November
767:16 November
743:16 November
715:16 November
647:15 November
615:(in German)
500:, fuel and
448:static fire
380: /
355:Coordinates
248:first stage
244:static fire
170:static fire
167:first stage
64:August 2018
57:August 2018
1335:Categories
1239:"LAUNCHER"
1223:29 January
1194:3 February
565:References
514:Pivdenmash
488:(LEO) and
435:SaxaVord.
365:60°49′05″N
283:Matosinhos
1054:"CONTACT"
1038:23 August
1032:SpaceNews
989:12 August
835:SpaceNews
669:SpaceNews
641:SpaceNews
559:PLD Space
554:HyImpulse
368:0°46′18″W
258:Locations
48:Aerospace
914:21 March
840:21 March
688:BBC News
527:See also
404:Scotland
347:HP600091
298:Location
215:Chairman
155:Augsburg
151:NewSpace
113:Products
102:Augsburg
44:Industry
963:14 July
492:(SSO).
470:RFA One
460:RFA One
442:in the
399:Country
271:Esrange
232:RFA One
181:General
176:History
163:RFA One
131:Website
116:RFA One
107:Germany
72:Founder
62: (
54:Founded
1304:17 May
1277:17 May
1248:17 May
1116:17 May
1063:17 May
893:17 May
869:17 May
619:17 May
589:17 May
279:Sweden
275:Kiruna
264:Munich
207:OHB SE
187:OHB SE
92:Active
1009:x.com
937:8 May
484:into
1306:2022
1279:2022
1250:2022
1225:2024
1196:2023
1170:2021
1144:2021
1118:2022
1092:2021
1065:2022
1040:2024
991:2024
965:2024
939:2024
916:2024
895:2022
871:2022
842:2024
816:2021
769:2021
745:2021
717:2021
649:2023
621:2022
591:2022
498:RP-1
440:Unst
89:Fate
468:is
273:in
211:CEO
205:of
203:CEO
199:CEO
195:COO
191:CCO
147:RFA
1337::
1296:.
1269:.
1258:^
1241:.
1215:.
1204:^
1186:.
1160:.
1135:.
1108:.
1082:.
1056:.
1029:.
1017:^
1007:.
981:.
955:.
861:.
850:^
833:.
805:.
777:^
753:^
736:.
725:^
707:.
695:^
686:,
676:^
667:,
657:^
638:.
611:.
599:^
581:.
277:,
161:,
105:,
1308:.
1281:.
1252:.
1227:.
1198:.
1172:.
1146:.
1120:.
1094:.
1067:.
1042:.
993:.
967:.
957:X
918:.
873:.
844:.
818:.
771:.
747:.
719:.
651:.
623:.
593:.
145:(
66:)
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.