Skyrora completes 45‑second hot‑fire test of scaled‑down XL rocket engine in Scotland

The Scottish firm carried out a 45‑second static test of a reduced‑size XL launch vehicle engine at Machrihanish, gathering data ahead of full‑scale flights.

By Felo News Desk · Published Wed, 30 Sep 2026 00:12:24 GMT

Skyrora, a Scottish launch‑vehicle developer, said it successfully completed a 45‑second static “hot fire” test of a scaled‑down version of its XL rocket engine at a test site in Machrihanish, Argyll and Bute, according to both the Independent and the Evening Standard.

What happened

The test, conducted in recent weeks, involved firing the engine for 45 seconds, producing a visible column of fire and billowing smoke. The purpose was to validate the integrated systems of the three‑stage Skyrora XL vehicle, which stands 23 metres tall and is designed to carry up to 315 kg of satellite payloads.

What the reports add

Both outlets confirm the location, duration and data‑gathering aim of the test.
The Independent notes the test will help the company “understand how they perform and make improvements before scaling up to the full vehicle.”
The Evening Standard repeats that the test validates subsystems together rather than in isolation.
Both reports mention Skyrora’s plan to launch the XL rocket about eight times a year to meet growing demand for small‑satellite services.
Both sources recall Skyrora’s October 2022 sub‑orbital launch attempt of the Skylark rocket from Iceland, which failed after a software problem caused the vehicle to fall into the sea.

What was said

“You don’t build confidence in an orbital launch vehicle by waiting until the finished rocket is on the launchpad. You build it through thousands of decisions, measurements and tests along the way. This scaled‑down XL system lets us test and validate the technology, subsystems and components together, understand how they perform and make improvements before scaling up to the full vehicle. Our approach is simple: test, learn, refine and test again, so that when Skyrora XL reaches the pad, we have confidence grounded in evidence.” – Dr Jack James Marlow, chief operating officer, quoted by both the Independent and the Evening Standard.

How it came about

Skyrora has been developing the XL launch vehicle as part of the UK’s growing commercial space sector. After the 2022 Skylark setback, the company adopted an incremental testing strategy, culminating in the recent static fire. The company’s factory in North Lanarkshire supplies the components used in the test, and Skyrora aims to operate the 23‑metre XL rocket about eight times a year to capitalise on the burgeoning global demand for small‑satellite launches.

Key facts

Skyrora performed a 45‑second static hot‑fire test of a scaled‑down XL rocket engine. (independent.co.uk)
The test took place at a site in Machrihanish, Argyll and Bute. (independent.co.uk)
Skyrora XL is a three‑stage, 23‑metre tall rocket capable of carrying up to 315 kg of payload. (independent.co.uk)
Dr Jack James Marlow, Skyrora’s chief operating officer, explained the testing philosophy. (independent.co.uk)