Skyrora
Scottish builder of the Skyrora XL small-satellite rocket
- Founded
- 2017
- Headquarters
- Cumbernauld, Scotland
Overview
Skyrora is a British small-satellite launch company founded in 2017 by Volodymyr Levykin, headquartered in Cumbernauld in the Greater Glasgow area of Scotland, with design and manufacturing facilities in the UK and across Europe. The company aims to establish a sovereign UK orbital launch capability.
Its flagship vehicle is the Skyrora XL, a three-stage orbital rocket designed to deliver up to roughly 315 kg of payload to Sun-synchronous orbit. Alongside it, Skyrora has developed a family of Skylark suborbital test vehicles, including Skylark Nano, Skylark Micro and the 11-metre guided Skylark L, and works on its own engines and a lower-emissions Ecosene kerosene-type fuel.
As of 2026 Skyrora remains active but has not yet reached orbit; the Skyrora XL is still in development with a first orbital flight targeted around 2027. The company has flown several suborbital test rockets and, in August 2025, became the first UK-based rocket company to receive a launch operator licence from the Civil Aviation Authority to fly Skylark L from SaxaVord Spaceport in Shetland.
Timeline
- 2017
Company founded
Skyrora Ltd was founded in June 2017 by Volodymyr Levykin to develop UK orbital launch capability.
- 2018
First Skylark Nano launch
Skyrora conducted Scotland's first commercial rocket launch by a private company, flying the small Skylark Nano test vehicle.
- 2020
Skylark Micro reaches 26 km
The two-stage Skylark Micro launched from Iceland and ascended to over 26 km, Skyrora's highest flight to date.
- Oct 2022
Skylark L test launch attempt
A suborbital test launch of the Skylark L rocket from Iceland failed to reach its intended trajectory.
- Aug 2025
First UK launch licence
Skyrora became the first UK-based rocket company granted a CAA launch operator licence, for Skylark L flights from SaxaVord Spaceport.
Frequently asked questions
Rockets
