Edinburgh-based Skyrora (www.skyrora.com) has chosen Cornwall Airport in Newquay as the site for the inaugural testing of its liquid-fuel rocket engine, as it builds towards an orbital launch.

The engine test will be the first of its type undertaken by a British small-satellite launcher in the UK since Black Arrow in the 1960s — a rocket that went on to conduct the first (and only) successful British orbital launch.

The new Skyrora XL vehicle will be powered by kerosene and hydrogen peroxide, as was Black Arrow.

Daniel Smith, director of business development at Skyrora, said: “Our goal is to become a reliable and trusted UK launch operator, offering cost-effective launch capabilities from the North of Scotland.

"Newquay is a great fit for our upper stage engine testing, due to the enthusiasm and support from the team in Cornwall, which has been enabled us to move quickly.

"The airport provides a perfect short-term solution, while we work towards establishing our own strategic capability north of the border for our larger engines.”

Skyrora has already 3-D printed two separate prototype engines for testing this year, as it moves rapidly along its test launch programme.

The test firings at Newquay will involve the LEO engine, which will be used to propel the launch vehicle’s upper stage into orbit.