RFA One rocket overview

Overview of an RFA One rocket showing from left the main stage, the second stage, orbital stage Redshift and payloads with fairing. Rocket Factory Augsburg, known as RFA, is developing commercial space transportation services based on the RFA One launch vehicle at sites in Portugal, Germany and the UK.

RFA One is an orbital vehicle that will have three stages and be launched from its Saxavord launchpad in the UK. Measuring 30 m tall and 2 m in diameter, RFA One targets a deployment capability of up to 1300 kg to a 500 km polar orbit.

The RFA One launch vehicle is being developed in Augsburg, Germany, with hot-fire tests of the engine and second stage already performed at the Esrange Space Center in Sweden, under the initial Boost! co-funding committed by ESA in 2022.

ESA has committed further Boost! Programme funding to German startup Rocket Factory Augsburg, known as RFA, for the development of commercial space transportation services based on the RFA One launch vehicle at sites in Portugal, Germany and the UK.