Rocket Factory Augsburg Replaces CEO

German small launch vehicle startup Rocket Factory Augsburg (RFA) has replaced its chief executive officer as the company intensifies its efforts to conduct a long-delayed inaugural launch.

In a quietly released statement on April 11, RFA announced the departure of Stefan Tweraser, who had served as CEO since October 2021. He has been succeeded by Dr. Indulis Kalnins, a veteran aerospace executive and academic with extensive experience in the German space sector. The company did not cite a specific reason for the leadership change.

The move comes as RFA shifts focus from corporate development to overcoming technical hurdles in order to bring its RFA ONE rocket to the launchpad for the first time.

“For the tasks that now lie ahead, we are focusing on technical progress and the path to the launchpad,...With the wide range of skills that Dr. Kalnins brings to a highly motivated team, we believe that RFA is well on its way to continuing to prepare for the first launch attempt as the priority to get access to the market of launch services.” - Jean-Jacques Dordain, Former ESA Director General and Chairman of RFA’s Supervisory Board.

Kalnins is currently part of the aerospace faculty at Hochschule Bremen and has previously served as managing director of OHB Cosmos, the launch services division of OHB SE, which holds a majority stake in RFA. His appointment reflects a strategic pivot toward technical execution following setbacks in 2024.

RFA’s launch campaign faced a major blow last August when the first stage of its RFA ONE rocket was destroyed during a static-fire test, derailing plans for a debut launch from SaxaVord Spaceport in the Shetland Islands.

“We must focus all our energy on the technology and the first launch...I am very pleased that we have been able to appoint a recognized expert for RFA in Kalnins. I have known Dr. Kalnins for almost 30 years and therefore know about his exceptional expertise.” - Marco Fuchs, chairman of the board at OHB.

Kalnins has been quietly involved with RFA behind the scenes for some time. While his exact role prior to becoming CEO was not disclosed, Kalnins confirmed his longstanding relationship with the company.

“I have known RFA since it was founded almost seven years ago and have always followed its progress with great interest...I have been working with RFA for some time now, so I know that I have a great, motivated and technically excellent team that is eager to get off to a successful launch as quickly as possible.” - Dr. Indulis Kalnins, RFA CEO

Tweraser, by contrast, brought a non-aerospace background when he joined RFA in 2021. His past roles included executive positions at Google, Deezer, and McKinsey & Company, and his outsider perspective was initially viewed as an asset in helping RFA scale its operations and business model. At the time of his hiring, COO Stefan Brieschenk said Tweraser would help “transform our rapid technological progress into a sustainable business model.” However, with technical execution now front and center, leadership has turned toward seasoned aerospace engineering experience.

RFA is aiming for a second attempt at launching RFA ONE this year. The company received its UK launch license in January from the Civil Aviation Authority, authorizing up to 10 launches annually from SaxaVord.

“racing toward the third quarter” - Stefan Tweraser, Former RFA CEO

The RFA ONE rocket is designed to carry payloads of up to 1,300 kilograms to low Earth orbit, placing it in direct competition with other European small launch developers such as Orbex and PLD Space, as well as global competitors like Rocket Lab and ABL Space Systems.