The UK is about to take one giant leap ahead in the space sector with the announcement that the UK Space Agency has selected the first vertical launch site in Sutherland on the North Coast of Scotland. Business Secretary Greg Clark will announce today further details and additional grants available at the bi-annual Farnborough Air Show.

The establishment of a UK spaceport is a key priority for the UK Government, which it believes will help it to grab a larger share of the global space market, which is on an upward trajectory.

It is expected that the development of the new spaceport will ensure the UK’s position at the forefront of the rapidly expanding space market. Clark says that the space flight market could contribute billions to the UK economy over the next ten years and will support further growth of the UK space sector.

The UK space sector has trebled since 2000 and enjoyed a growth rate of 8% annually. It provides an additional £5.1 billion of value (GVA) to the UK economy. Commercial vertical and horizontal launch demand is worth a potential £3.8bn, which is one reason why the UK aims to become the first vertical launch site in Europe.

Consumer Space Travel on the Horizon

The Space Agency has stated that Scotland is the best place in the UK from which to launch rockets and satellites into orbit. It will now provide the Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) £2.5 million in new funding to develop the vertical launch site. HIE will work closely with a consortium that includes the American aerospace giant Lockheed Martin.

Charlotte Wright, Chief Executive of HIE, said: “The decision to support the UK’s first spaceport in Sutherland is tremendous news for our region and for Scotland as a whole. The international space sector is growing and we want to ensure the region is ready to reap the economic benefits that will be generated from this fantastic opportunity.”

Clark echoed this sentiment: “As a nation of innovators and entrepreneurs, we want Britain to be the first place in mainland Europe to launch satellites as part of our Industrial Strategy. This will build on our global reputation for manufacturing small satellites and help the whole country capitalise on the huge potential of the commercial space age.”

Low-Cost Space Access

Prestwick, Ayrshire, Unst and Newquay airport in Cornwall were all contenders for the selection. Sites such as Newquay, Glasgow Prestwick and Snowdonia will still be boosted by a new £2m fund to grow their sub-orbital flight, satellite launch and spaceplane ambitions.

Peter Platzer, CEO of Spire Global, said: “A spaceport in Scotland and the UK is fantastic news! Launch continues to be the most unpredictable part of the overall supply chain, with delays, often for months and sometimes years, being the norm.” With regular, responsible and reliable access to space, it is hoped that UK’s share of the global space economy will increase from the current 6.5% to 10% by 2030.

Currently, the UK depends on Kazakhstan for launches, where UK payloads are piggybacked onto rockets. With its own spaceport the UK will enjoy a greater degree of independence and eventually be able to offer launches as a service to other countries who do not have their own vertical launch site.