Monday, July 16, 2018

UK selects Scottish site for first spaceport

Satellites carrying rockets similar to SpaceX’s Falcon 9 (pictured) could be launched from the UK site from the early 2020s.

The UK has selected the site for its first ever spaceport. The chosen location is Sutherland, on the A’Mhoine peninsula on the north coast of Scotland. Local business development agency, the Highlands and Islands Enterprise, will receive £2.5 million in funding ($3.3 million) from the UK government, with the first rocket launches planned for the early 2020s.

The spaceport is being built with the hope that the UK can grab a slice of the growing market for small satellite launches. The country is already home to many component and satellite makers, like Printech Circuit Laboratories and Surrey Satellite Technology, and adding the ability to launch satellites locally would increase its international appeal.

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