Independent rocket manufacturerSkyrora是利用卫星发射车生产增材制造业的众多公司之一。然而，该公司是总部位于苏格兰首都爱丁堡的，是为数不多的为英国建立公民空间活动的专业知识的公司之一。
该公司在其最新更新中宣布，它打算在苏格兰开设新的发动机测试设施。该设施致力于完成其30KN火箭发动机的燃烧和阳性测试，是迈出完整火箭发射的基本步骤，该火箭发射目前定于第4季度2021年第四季度。
如果这次第二季度2021发射成功，Skyrora将将其作为有史以来第一家完成西欧轨道发射的公司。
“This is a huge milestone for Skyrora and marks the start of our test program for our larger engines,”评论Skyrora首席执行官兼创始人Volodymyr Levykin。“我们的团队非常努力地开发我们的发动机技术，因此Skyrora可以帮助所有人更容易获得空间。”
“ Skyrora将继续努力，以确保在英国和欧洲在这里实现改变世界的利益。”
Skyrora - 准备在英国发射
Skyrorawas founded in 2017. In the production of its engines and vehicles, the company uses a combination of traditional and additive manufacturing techniques. For this purpose, the company has reportedly developed a proprietary hybrid manufacturing system. Combining robotics, 3D printing and CNC milling, the system is currently at the prototype stage.
Two rockets are currently in development at Skyrora – the Skyrora 1 suborbital launch vehicle, and the Skyrora XL, made for orbital launches.
XL的推出取得了重大进展，最近为Leo完成了第三阶段的测试射击，Leo是发动机的先驱，最终将把火箭推入轨道。狮子座被倾斜为“在英国进行测试的第一个商业上的全部3D印刷双液压发动机”，并且能够产生3.5 kN的推力。它是由Skyrora与SpacePort Cornwall合作在Newquay机场开火的。成功运行之后，该公司确认计划开始测试更强大的3吨推力3D印刷发动机，该发动机有望在苏格兰进行。
2018年8月，该公司还在苏格兰高地的Kildermorie Estate进行了成功的商业测试，其Skylark Nano是2.5米长的火箭演示器。2019年7月，选择了同一位置进行另一个测试发布。
Skyrora新测试设施的官方网站尚待确认。早些时候，2019年9月，在该公司提出发动机测试申请后，Fife的Rosyth Dockyard被确定为潜在的候选人。在此公告时，公司发言人说, “We are considering many options and are looking for locations that can serve our needs, which will provide us with access to skills […] We are in the early stages and discussions are ongoing with landowners regarding all potential options.” Due to location, the developing萨瑟兰宇航中心也可能是一个潜在的站点。
3D printing and private aerospace
The aerospace industry is rife with opportunities for independent companies seeking to provide more affordable satellite launches and the supply of payloads to the International Space Station (ISS) (or beyond). In the U.S., space exploration companies seem to be the new pet project of almost any tech-tycoon – there’sElon Musk’s SpaceX,蓝色, founded by Jeff Bezos, and理查德·布兰森（Richard Branson）的维珍银河（Virgin Galactic），仅举几个。最近，加利福尼亚3D印刷火箭制造商相对性空间提出了惊人的$140 millionfor its development, highlighting just a sliver of the potential open to these companies.
Back in the UK, Orbex could be considered one of Skyrora’s main competitors for orbital airspace. Briefly exiting stealthmode in February this year, Orbex has been working with Germany’sSLM解决方案to3D print an engine for its Prime rocket.
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Featured image shows a demonstration of Skyrora’s rocket at liftoff. Screengrab via Skyrora Limited – From Scotland to Space
