The rocket explodes at the SaxaVord spaceport in Scotland

while United States of America returns to the moon United Kingdom struggling to get off the ground. A rocket motor exploded during a test in Scotland on Monday. The launch site was evacuated before the test, and no one was injured at the SaxaVord spaceport when fire erupted from the rocket.

The SaxaVord spaceport opened in May this year, hoping to host the UK’s first vertical satellite launch. Traditionally, Europe is not an ideal location for launching a rocket due to its distance from the equator. European Space Agency The main launch site is in French Guiana, on the north coast of South America. SaxaVord is in the Shetland Islands, just off the north coast of Scotland.

Augsburg Missile Factory, SaxaVord’s German partner conducted the test of the rocket engine and stated:

“Monday evening the RFA conducted a hot fire of the first stage at their launch site at the SaxaVord spaceport.”

“This resulted in an anomaly that resulted in the loss of the stage. No one was injured in the process. The launch pad has been rescued and is secure, the situation is under control and any immediate danger has been mitigated. We are now working closely with SaxaVord Spaceport and the authorities to gather data and information to finally solve what happened.”

This is not Britain’s first attempt to enter the potentially lucrative private space market. Orbit Virgin attempted to operate a mobile space program with air launch rockets dropped under the wing of a Boeing 747. After the first launch failed in January 2023, the Richard Branson-backed company was unable to secure funding to continue, laid off all its employees and filed for bankruptcy.

Virgin Orbit’s assets have been sold for $36 billion last year. SaxaVord is a much more solid project than launching missiles from an airliner, so maybe the UK has a better chance this time.

A version of this article originally appeared on Jalopnik.