Shetland spaceport project secures £30m of UK government investment

The UK government has recently allocated £30 million in funding to the SaxaVord Spaceport in Shetland, as part of a new national space strategy. This investment is seen as a significant endorsement and is expected to attract an additional £30 million in private investment. The Shetland location, specifically the northernmost point in the UK known as Unst, is being considered as a potential launch site for small commercial rockets.

SaxaVord Spaceport is the UK's first fully-licensed spaceport, with approval for up to 30 rocket launches annually. The £60 million public-private investment package will be utilized for constructing a second hangar and adding two more launchpads. The company's CEO, Scott Hammond, expressed confidence in the development, stating that the funding will propel the project to the next stage.

Two German companies have already signed launch agreements with SaxaVord. Rocket Factory Augsburg (RFA) aims to undertake its first vertical orbital test flight from UK soil, while HyImpulse Technologies GmbH plans to execute the second flight of its SR75 suborbital launch vehicle from Shetland this year. The German firm recently secured over €50 million in investment.

Derek Harris, head of programmes at Space Scotland, remains optimistic about the timeline, emphasizing the importance of safety and reliability in the process. He acknowledged that weather conditions such as rain and storms may also impact the project's progress.

The UK government's new space strategy aims to drive growth, enhance security, and support technologies that are integral to modern life. The investment into Shetland is part of a broader £148 million European investment aimed at bolstering UK space technology firms and securing more work for them. Scottish Secretary Douglas Alexander highlighted that Scotland is already a leader in satellite building and that SaxaVord is now on track to provide up to three-quarters of the continent's orbital launch slots.