Space / UK Government’s £20m funding boost for Scottish spaceports welcomed
A TOTAL of £20 million has been pledged by the UK Government to “accelerate” spaceport infrastructure development in Scotland.
It is part of funding worth a total of £500 million which will go to national space programmes.
SaxaVord Spaceport in Unst is the UK’s only fully licensed vertical spaceport, and a first launched is expected later this year.
The only other spaceport project in Scotland is in Sutherland in the Highlands, but its construction was put on hold in 2024 when its developer Orbex switched its launch operations to SaxaVord.
A spokesman for SaxaVord Spaceport said: “We welcome the UK Government’s financial commitment to the space industry and look forward to hearing more about the proposed allocation of funding to develop spaceport infrastructure in Scotland.”
The UK Space Agency meanwhile said the announcement is the first stage in terms of the funding being allocated to the government agency to use to support spaceport development.
The space agency will now consider proposals before announcing the recipients of the funding – with SaxaVord of course eligible.
Funding will also go towards activity like developing civil capabilities for in-orbit servicing and manufacturing, and creating a national space operations centre.
Space minister Liz Lloyd said: “The government recognises that the whole of the space sector – from curiosity driven science to commercial satellite services – makes an important contribution to the UK.
“But to deliver growth and security for the British people, we need to take a much bolder approach to how we prioritise public funding and support. Our vision is clear – to make the UK a competitive, agile space power.
“We’re allocating £500 million today, on top of ESA [European Space Agency] funding, to drive forward our priorities and will continue to work closely with industry and investors to maximise private capital flows and unlock the full potential of commercial space.”
SaxaVord previously received £10 million of funding from the UK Government, announced in the spring 2024 budget.
Last month launch company Rocket Factory Augsburg (RFA) said progress was being made towards its next ‘hot fire’ test at SaxaVord.
A 52 metre high umbilical tower is now up at the launchpad at Lamba Ness.
It comes after an RFA hot fire test in 2024, which saw a rocket engine go up in flames.
Meanwhile a first ‘good practice’ guide for the assessment of environmental effects from UK launches has been published.
The guidance “marks an important step in shaping consistent, evidence‑based environmental practice for the UK space sector”, according to the Institute of Sustainability and Environmental Professional (ISEP).
SaxaVord Spaceport CEO Scott Hammond was part of a working group which helped to inform the document.
Rosemary Whitbread, head of space regulation policy at the Civil Aviation Authority, said: “As the UK’s space regulator we’re talking to more and more launch companies planning to head to space from UK soil.
“As activity grows, it’s vital that environmental impacts are minimised so the major benefits of space can be realised sustainably.
“This is a very welcome industry initiative that will support applicants, strengthen environmental responsibility and help pave the way for the future.”
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