British Rocket Launch Being Delayed By Icelandic Government

Skyrora, a British space company based in Scotland, is all set to begin Europe’s biggest rocket launch, but they say they are being delayed by red tape from Icelandic authorities, City A.M. reports.

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Skyrora has had their sights set on a launch from Iceland for a long time now, and are now preparing to launch from the UK. However, much of the necessary infrastructure needed for the launch is still lying in wait in Iceland.

“Skyrora is technically and operationally ready to launch, and is awaiting the outcome of our ongoing dialogue with the Icelandic regulators,” a Skyrora spokesperson told City A.M. “We’re committed to continue working through the process to procure relevant permission – we hope imminently granted and Iceland can take its place at the forefront of space launches for Europe.”

“Geographically, Iceland is positioned perfectly to open a new space corridor for Europe and the nation possesses the crucial expertise to make an impact in the smaller launch market,” CEO and founder Volodymyr Levykin said. “The UK is a world leader in space technology, and this latest launch would take us another crucial step closer to reaching space from our own soil.”

Iceland has a long history in the field of space exploration, going all the way back to 1965. Should the Icelandic government get the ball rolling on this latest project, the country could see itself becoming even more involved in space projects still to come.