Lift-off for Scotland: Sutherland to host first UK spaceport

[Judi Lynn]

By Jonathan Amos
BBC Science Correspondent

6 hours ago

A remote, boggy stretch of land on the north coast of Scotland is likely 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 Space Agency is giving Highlands and Islands Enterprise £2.5m towards the development of the facility.

HIE will work closely with operators. The American aerospace giant Lockheed Martin wants to be one of the partners.

More:
https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-44841123

[DetlefK]

1. One of the worst possible spots for a spaceport.

There is a reason why spaceports are built close to the equator: The rocket gets zentrifugal force at launch, which makes it easier to reach velocity for an orbit. A rocket launched from Scotland will need more fuel to reach a stable orbit.

[Judi Lynn]

2. Thanks for your comment. Very helpful. n/t

[muriel_volestrangler]

4. But not for near-polar orbits

Why, for instance, the US uses Vandenberg for polar orbits - from there, they are sent straight south, crossing no land for thousand of miles.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vandenberg_Air_Force_Base

From the north of Scotland, you can go north without crossing land for thousands of miles.

Another northerly site - Kodiak Island: http://akaerospace.com/news/company-test-satellite-launches-kodiak

[Judi Lynn]

3. Scotland chosen for new UK spaceport

David Szondy
4 hours ago

After almost half a century, Britain is getting back into the space rocket business. The UK Space Agency has announced that Melness in Sutherland on the north coast of Scotland has been chosen for the country's first vertical launch spaceport. Business Secretary Greg Clark has granted initial funding of £2.5 million (US$3.3 million) to Highlands and Islands Enterprise to develop the site, which will be used to launch small satellites into orbit.

It's easy to forget that in the days of the Space Race, Britain was one of the leading contenders behind the United States and the Soviet Union, and in 1971 launched the British-built Prospero X-3 satellite atop the British Black Arrow rocket from Woomera, Australia. However, changing priorities due to the failing economy and the run up to joining what is now the European Union caused the government to abandon civilian rockets in 1972 to focus on satellite construction.

Now the government is looking at a potential market of £3.8 billion (US$5.4 million) over the next 10 years, and has its sights on 10 percent of the global space market by 2030. To attain this, the UK Space Agency is keen to develop spaceports across Britain that include both horizontal launch sites using airplane-mounted boosters taking off from conventional air strips, and vertical launchers like in Sutherland. Today's grant is part of the overall £50 million (US$66 million) UK Spaceflight Programme.

Scotland is the best spot for a spaceport due to its sparse population, clear flight paths over water, and clearances for both polar and equatorial orbits. In addition, the north coast has been used as a firing range for military and high altitude sounding rockets for decades, so the area is very much a known quantity.