INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
Image copyrightPerfect CircleImage caption
Artwork: This is what a Scottish spaceport could look like in the early
2020s
A remote, boggy stretch of land on the north coast of Scotland is set to become the UK's first spaceport.The A'Mhoine
Peninsula in Sutherland has been chosen as the most suitable place from which to launch rockets vertically to put satellites in orbit.The UK
consortium that includes the American aerospace giant Lockheed Martin.The goal would be to have launches as early as possible in the
2020s.The Scotland money is part of a package of grants to foster UK launch capability that was announced by Business Secretary Greg Clark
at the Farnborough International Air Show.He told the event: "We are one of the best countries in the world for the research, development,
manufacturing and application of satellites - big and small
And when we see the expansion that is taking place, and the requirement that these satellites need to be launched into orbit - there is an
help drive forward proposals
The company wants to bring the Electron rocket to Scotland
Currently, this vehicle flies out of New Zealand.A British version of the rocket would have a propulsion unit and satellite dispenser
developed and built at Ampthill in Bedfordshire, Harwell in Oxfordshire, and in Reading.Patrick Wood is Lockheed Martin's senior executive
"As a country we've not invested in launch vehicles since 1971 and Black Arrow, which put up the Prospero satellite
I'm really proud to be working with the Lockheed Martin team and our partners in delivering the the first launch from British soil," he told
TheIndianSubcontinent News.Image caption
The Electron launch vehicle currently flies from New Zealand
HIE will develop the launch complex at A'Mhoine, with Lockheed using one pad, and a second pad likely to go to Orbex
This is a new company that has been developing a 17m-tall rocket out of the public eye
On Monday, however, the firm was very forward in discussing its plans, which have now been backed through a UK Space Agency grant to the
The vehicles will then be transported to Sutherland," explained Orbex CEO, Chris Larmour
"Internally, I don't think we realised just how big today is because we've been focussed on technical tasks
But this morning at the show, I think we're beginning to realise just how big a moment this is." The UK government has been mulling the idea
of home spaceports for a decade now, and has updated the legislation that would make them possible.While the headline news focussed on
launch" spaceport as well.This would see a modified aeroplane leave a British runway, climb to altitude somewhere out over the ocean and
then release a rocket that can put the satellite in orbit
A number of such systems are presently in development.Image copyrightCORNWALL COUNCILImage caption
A partnership
agreement will be signed between Cornwall Council and Virgin Orbit
One making waves at the moment is owned by entrepreneur
His Virgin Orbit company, based in Long Beach, California, has converted an old Virgin Atlantic 747 to dispense its LauncherOne rocket - a
maiden flight for which is imminent
Cornwall, in particular, is very keen to have Virgin Orbit operate out of Newquay airport
The council and the California company signed a partnership agreement at the air show
A first mission is being targeted for 2021."Cornwall is showing ambition," said Adam Painter, the leader of the council
"Years ago we sent miners around the world; we led the world in mining
That industrial time has gone but for Cornwall - we see that we have a number of new areas that we could excel in and space is one of
them."Why is this importantThe UK is in a unique moment
Having pioneered the development of small satellites, through companies such as Surrey Satellite Technology Limited and AAC Clyde Space, it
has put itself right at the crest of a new wave
The use of off-the-shelf, low-cost, miniaturised consumer electronics is revolutionising satellites
It is now possible to put enormous capability inside a very small box
Having spaceports would allow UK industry to offer the full "turn key" product to their customers - from design, to build, to launch
Image copyrightScottish GovernmentImage caption
AAC Clyde Space in Glasgow produces about 80 small satellites a year
What sort of satellitesEverything you can imagine
Satellites to monitor the weather, to relay communications, and to take pictures of activity on Earth
Small satellites can do all this and they tend to operate in polar-type orbits
That is, they circle the Earth a few hundred kilometres up, passing over the Arctic and the Antarctic
The north of Scotland is therefore ideally situated in this respect
Rockets would fly north, through the gap between Iceland and the Faroe Islands, and Svalbard
If there were launch failures, nothing would fall on populated land
What sort of rocketsI've mentioned three vehicles already that could fly from the UK - the Electron, Orbex and LauncherOne
But there are 60-plus small launch vehicles in development around the world
A few of these others are also based in the UK, and they will regard a home spaceport as a great fillip to their endeavours
What happens nextKeep an eye on the clock
Time is short for the UK if it wants to capture a significant share of the nascent small launch market
UK regional authorities and rocket operators are going to have to move fast if they want to avoid the opportunities drifting away to other
There is a big responsibility on government, too
It has updated legislation but many details still need to be tied down, such as liability rules and safety requirements
If these are made too onerous, it will put up the price of launching satellites
The cost per kilogram-to-orbit has to be competitive
Chris Larmour told TheIndianSubcontinent News: "If we weren't in the position we are today with the components being fired, tested and
running already - that window would not be possible for us; and I think that window is closing for people who are not in that degree of
readiness." Jonathan.Amos-INTERNET@TheIndianSubcontinent.co.uk and follow me on Twitter: @TheIndianSubcontinentAmos
