The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), which has responsibility for regulating space launches, has said it was satisfied that the spaceport operator can provide what it called “range-control services”, keeping people out of the danger zone and safely monitoring the progress of a rocket in flight.

This follows on from the regulator granting the spaceport a licence earlier in the year for its ground operations, meaning two major legal hurdles have now been cleared as Saxaford prepares for its first launch later in the year, leaving just one final piece in the regulatory puzzle – a licence for the rocket manufacturer.

The spaceport hopes to launch 30 rockets each year, with its position on the northern tip of the UK making it ideal for putting satellites and other payloads into an orbit that passes over the north and south poles.

Speaking about the new licence, Colin Macleod, head of UK space regulation at the CAA, said: “It’s a remote location with a relatively narrow range for launching northwards,” he said.

“The size [of the safety zone] will depend on the size of the rocket and how likely it is to fail, as well as the trajectory. The time of day can also affect how much traffic is there.”

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Earlier in the year, Germany-based rocket company announced a launch operations partnership with SaxaVord Spaceport in Sheltand.

The Rocket Factory Augsburg AG (RFA) will have exclusive access to Launch Pad Fredo for orbital launches, meaning the company’s first launch of its RFA ONE launch system will take place from the northern-most point in the UK, planned for the end of 2023.