Rocket Factory Augsburg

Rocket Factory Augsburg (RFA) is a German aerospace company established in August 2018 as a spin-off of the space technology group OHB SE. The company was co-founded by Jörn Spurmann, who serves as the Chief Commercial Officer, and Dr. Stefan Brieschenk, the Chief Operating Officer. They are joined by a leadership team that includes Hans Steininger, CEO of MT Aerospace, and Marco Fuchs, CEO of OHB SE. Spurmann brings a background in sales and business management within the space domain, while Brieschenk contributes his expertise in aerospace engineering, having previously worked at Rocket Lab and conducted research on scramjets.

RFA's core business is providing flexible, low-cost launch services for small satellites and payloads. The company targets the growing small satellite market, which includes clients in Earth observation, communications, and scientific research. Its business model centers on dramatically reducing launch costs by applying automotive-style serial production methods to rocket manufacturing and utilizing industrial off-the-shelf components. This strategy, which RFA dubs the "Henry Ford-moment for the space industry," aims to democratize access to space. The company offers a base price of around $3,000 to $4,000 per kilogram for a payload of up to 1,300 kg.

The company's primary product is the RFA ONE, a 30-meter-tall, three-stage launch vehicle. Its first stage is powered by nine "Helix" engines, while the second stage uses a single vacuum-optimized Helix engine. The Helix engine is a key technological differentiator, employing an oxygen-rich staged combustion cycle, a sophisticated design that increases efficiency by up to 7% and payload capacity by 30% compared to conventional open-cycle engines. The third stage, called "Redshift," is an Orbital Transfer Vehicle (OTV) that provides last-mile delivery, capable of precisely deploying multiple satellites into different orbits.

Significant milestones for RFA include the first successful hot-fire test of the Helix engine in 2021, qualifying the upper stage through a full-duration 280-second burn in 2023, and securing major funding, including an €11 million grant from the German Aerospace Center (DLR) and a €30 million investment from KKR in 2023. RFA has established its headquarters in Augsburg, Germany, a test site in Kiruna, Sweden, and secured an exclusive launch pad at SaxaVord Spaceport in Scotland. An anomaly during a first stage static-fire test in August 2024 resulted in the loss of the stage and a postponement of the maiden flight, which is now anticipated in 2025.

Keywords: microlauncher, small satellite launch, launch services, staged combustion engine, RFA ONE, Helix engine, Redshift OTV, space transportation, NewSpace, OHB SE, SaxaVord Spaceport, satellite deployment, orbital transfer vehicle, commercial spaceflight, European space industry, aerospace manufacturing, satellite constellations, LEO, SSO, payload delivery