British Space Thread

Lots of strategy docs coming out of Whitehall at he moment; shipbuilding, space, defence industries etc., a lot of word salads and management speak and nice graphs and charts, even whimsical touches like "Countdown Phase, Ignition Phase, Thrust Phase and Orbit Phase".
What does it all boil down to? Growing national space capability, providing some seed corn funding, getting a Space Command to do spacey things and until all that is ready hoping some foreign investors and companies are going to want to launch stuff from the UK.
Interesting that the ESA gets a big mention (even the Five Eyes is mentioned by name!), plus the UK-Australia Space Bridge, which implies the direction of travel pre-AUKUS.

There is no doubt an industry to grow, whether it will lead Britain to become an S&T superpower is another matter, plenty of nations have been messing about in space since the 1960s but haven't attained holy grail levels of technological prowess.
 
Cross-posting:

https://twitter.com/x/status/1448678488970457088
View: https://twitter.com/jeff_foust/status/1448678488970457088

Jeff Foust @jeff_foust
Janice Starzyk of Virgin Orbit says the first LauncherOne mission from Spaceport Cornwall in the UK is scheduled for June 2022. It’s tied to the Queen’s jubilee, so desire to keep to that schedule.
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UK space race heats up as Skyrora sets sights on 2022 launch

www.imeche.org www.imeche.org
UK space race heats up as Skyrora sets sights on 2022 launch
12 Oct 2021

The UK space race has heated up today (12 October) after rocket company Skyrora agreed a decade-long deal for multiple launches from the Shetland Island of Unst – including one next year.
The announcement sets up a race between the Edinburgh-headquartered firm and Orbex, another Scottish rocket company aiming for its first launch next year. Whichever project wins will be the first to launch a rocket from UK soil.
“We have made no secret of our ambition to be the first company to launch from UK soil, so it's really exciting to agree to this multi-launch deal with [spaceport] SaxaVord,” said Skyrora founder and CEO Volodymyr Levykin.
“We are proud to be at the forefront of space innovation in the UK, deploying our assets and helping to unlock exciting opportunities as part of the new space economy. The UK is a world leader in space technology, and this latest move brings us another crucial step closer to offering a significant space service from our own soil.”
The XL rocket launch programme from Unst, the most northerly of the Shetland Islands, will gradually speed up throughout the decade. By 2030, Skyrora aims to launch 16 rockets a year.
Speaking to Professional Engineering earlier this year, Orbex CEO Chris Larmour said the firm already had six launch contracts, with the first planned for late 2022. Launches of the Prime ‘micro-launcher’ from Sutherland spaceport in the Highlands will ramp up “gradually”, he said – one or two in the first couple of years, reaching full ‘cadence’ by 2024 or 2025.
The two companies are taking some non-conventional approaches to space flight. Orbex will 3D print its engines, for example, while Skyrora hopes its versatile upper stage will enable multi-purpose launches.
According to a study by Scottish Enterprise last year, income from Scotland's space sector could reach over £2bn by 2030. Data solutions to help combat climate change could double that. The SaxaVord spaceport is expected to create 140 jobs locally, with an additional 70 jobs across Shetland, while Skyrora aims to create over 170 jobs by 2030.
Skyrora has been testing increasingly large rockets with short high-altitude launches since 2018. Last year, it conducted the first rocket test on UK soil in 50 years, as well as launching its Skylark Micro from Iceland.
The three-stage Skyrora XL rocket stands over 22m, and can carry up to 315kg to orbit. Last year, the firm completed trials of its third stage, including its orbital transfer vehicle (OTV). Once in orbit, the OTV will be able to refire its engines about 15 times to complete extra tasks – acting as a ‘space tug’, carrying out maintenance, or de-orbiting defunct satellites.
For the proposed 2022 launch, Skyrora plans to fuel the XL with sustainable rocket fuel alternative Ecosene. Made from waste plastic such as polystyrene, the fuel could prevent more than 3,000 tonnes of unrecyclable plastic going to landfill by 2030, just through use on Skyrora flights.
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British satellite giant Inmarsat sold for £5.4bn as hedge funds double money - live updates
British satellite firm Inmarsat has agreed a $7.3bn (£5.4bn) takeover deal by US rival Viasat, marking the first wave of consolidation in the rapidly-growing satellite sector.

California-based Viasat has agreed to acquire Inmarsat, which provides phone and data services worldwide through its network of satellites, in a transaction consisting of $850m in cash, Viasat shares valued at roughly $3.1bn and the assumption of $3.4bn of net debt.

The sale represents a rapid profit for Inmarsat's private equity owners – including Warburg Pincus and Apax Partners – who snapped up the company for $3.4bn in 2019.

The deal is likely to face regulatory scrutiny around the globe amid growing competition between satellite rivals, as well as heightened concerns over the sale of key British assets to foreign buyers.
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www.telegraph.co.uk

Tesla share price slides after Twitter users back Elon Musk’s stake sale

Elon Musk is poised to sell a tenth of his Tesla stock to pay a tax bill after a vote by the billionaire's Twitter followers.
www.telegraph.co.uk www.telegraph.co.uk
 
www.telegraph.co.uk

FTSE 100 and pound slump as lockdown fears mount

The FTSE 100 has slumped as much as 1.
www.telegraph.co.uk www.telegraph.co.uk

Ministers call for national security review of Inmarsat takeover​

Ministers have been urged to call for a national security review of the £5.5bn takeover of British satellite company Inmarsat.
James Titcomb reports:
Tom Tugendhat, chairman of the foreign affairs select committee, has written to Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng saying that Inmarsat’s sale to America’s Viasat could “diminish the UK’s sovereign capabilities”.
He argued Mr Kwarteng should assess the deal under incoming national security legislation due to come into force in January.
Mr Kwarteng responded saying the Government was monitoring the deal and will intervene if it considers it appropriate.
Viasat announced the $7.3bn (£5.5bn) takeover of Inmarsat from its current private equity owners last month. Viasat provides in-flight Wi-Fi to domestic US flights, while Inmarsat covers much of Europe and the Atlantic. The deal will create a satellite internet powerhouse better suited to taking on newcomers such as Elon Musk’s Starlink.
However, Inmarsat also provides critical services to the Ministry of Defence, and the merger has raised potential competition issues.
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Read James' full story here
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/busines...t-rates-inflation-banks/#update-20211220-1527
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Grey Havoc said:
ukdefencejournal.org.uk

BAE Systems releases Contribution to the UK economy’ report

BAE contracted the research firm Oxford Economics to "produce an independent analysis of our contribution to the UK's economy in 2020".
ukdefencejournal.org.uk ukdefencejournal.org.uk
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The report includes a focus on current BAE space missions, including the acquisition of the firm ‘In-Space Missions’ a UK company that designs, builds, and operates satellites and satellite systems. BAE specifically targeted the fact that it allows the company “to create a sovereign UK space offer”, in line with the request included in the UK Government’s 2021 integrated defence review.

BAE also mentions they are developing “radio technology to provide global satellite navigation systems and command and control services from low earth orbit satellites or even high-altitude aircraft.”
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Grey Havoc said:
Grey Havoc said:
ukdefencejournal.org.uk

BAE Systems releases Contribution to the UK economy’ report

BAE contracted the research firm Oxford Economics to "produce an independent analysis of our contribution to the UK's economy in 2020".
ukdefencejournal.org.uk ukdefencejournal.org.uk
Click to expand...

The report includes a focus on current BAE space missions, including the acquisition of the firm ‘In-Space Missions’ a UK company that designs, builds, and operates satellites and satellite systems. BAE specifically targeted the fact that it allows the company “to create a sovereign UK space offer”, in line with the request included in the UK Government’s 2021 integrated defence review.

BAE also mentions they are developing “radio technology to provide global satellite navigation systems and command and control services from low earth orbit satellites or even high-altitude aircraft.”
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Looks doubtful for any UK launch in 2022 and more likely to be 2023 by the sounds of it.

Plans to host the first orbital launches from the United Kingdom this year are moving ahead despite uncertainty about when regulators will grant licenses for those launches.

Virgin Orbit intends to conduct two launches of its LauncherOne air-launch system this year in flights this summer from Cornwall Airport Newquay, also known as Spaceport Cornwall in southwestern England.

“The Cornwall launches are targeted around the middle of the year, summertime,” said Dan Hart, chief executive of Virgin Orbit, said in a call with reporters Jan. 11, two days before its “Above the Clouds” launch from Mojave Air and Space Port in California. Tony Gingiss, chief operating officer of Virgin Orbit, said in the call that the first Cornwall launch would be two flights after Above the Clouds.
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Tim Johnson, director of strategy and policy for the CAA, repeatedly declined to say if his agency expected the first U.K. launch to take place in 2022. He said four applications had been formally submitted with 14 others in a “pre-application” review.

“You are set up. You’ve had these applications. Do you expect a launch in 2022?” asked the committee’s chair, Greg Clark.

“We’re open for business. We’re processing applications. The key driver for the timetable will be the quality of the applications, the evidence presented,” Johnson responded.

In a back-and-forth with Clark, Johnson repeatedly declined to say if a first U.K. launch would take place in 2022, to the growing frustration of committee members. “I’m a bit disappointed that we haven’t been able to get a clear answer from you on the question that Greg just posed about whether you do expect a launch by the end of the year,” said another committee member, Dehenna Davison. “Can you give us a yes or no?”

Johnson again declined. “The CAA understands the importance of timeliness in this regard and we’re doing absolutely everything we can to achieve that.”

Later in the hearing, though, Colin Macleod, head of space regulation at the CAA, said he expected it to take 6 to 12 months to issue a license for a spaceport, and 9 to 18 months for a launch license. “The biggest factors in that timescale are how well the applicants can explain their safety to us,” he said. “They are the experts, they know their technology, and the whole point of our approach is to enable innovative space activity to take place, so they are the biggest determinants in how quickly we can move.”
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spacenews.com

Regulators uncertain on schedule for first U.K. launch

Plans to host the first orbital launches from the United Kingdom this year are moving ahead despite uncertainty about when regulators will grant licenses for those launches.
spacenews.com spacenews.com
 
The first UK mainland satellite launch was announced yesterday.

The launch from Spaceport Cornwall will be the first commercial rocket to lift off from the U.K.
WASHINGTON – The U.S. National Reconnaissance Office and the United Kingdom’s Ministry of Defense will launch a joint mission this summer on Virgin Orbit’s LauncherOne rocket, U.K. defense procurement minister Jeremy Quin announced May 10.

The launch from Spaceport Cornwall — located at Newquay Airport in Cornwall, England — will be the first commercial rocket to lift off from the U.K. and from Western Europe. Virgin Orbit will fly nine payloads to orbit using the LauncherOne small launch platform deployed from a modified Boeing 747 aircraft.

“It’s an honor to join the United Kingdom’s Ministry of Defense in announcing this historic enterprise,” NRO Director Chris Scolese said in a statement.
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spacenews.com

National Reconnaissance Office partners with U.K. on space mission to fly on Virgin Orbit rocket - SpaceNews

The U.S. National Reconnaissance Office and the United Kingdom’s Ministry of Defense will launch a joint mission this summer on Virgin Orbit’s LauncherOne rocket.
spacenews.com spacenews.com
 
Related Orbex press release. It’s currently a test article on the pad.

orbex.space

Orbex

We launch small, micro and nano satellites into accurate low Earth orbits, regularly, on time and at a competitive fixed price.
orbex.space orbex.space
 
www.gov.uk

First UK satellite launch in summer 2022

As part of a three-year mission two satellites will operate close to Earth experimenting and test imaging and interoperability.
www.gov.uk www.gov.uk

First UK satellite launch in summer 2022
As part of a three-year mission two satellites will operate close to Earth experimenting and test imaging and interoperability.

From:
Ministry of Defence, UK Space Agency, and Defence Science and Technology Laboratory
Published
10 May 2022

The first satellite launch from the UK will take place this summer as Prometheus-2 takes off from Spaceport Cornwall in Newquay, the Defence Procurement Minister, Jeremy Quin has announced today.

Built by In-Space Missions Ltd, based in Hampshire, and designed with Airbus Defence and Space, Prometheus-2 is a collaboration between the UK Ministry of Defence and international partners, including the US National Reconnaissance Office (NRO).

Two shoebox-sized satellites, ‘Cubesats’, will provide a test platform for monitoring radio signals including GPS and sophisticated imaging, paving the way for a more collaborative and connected space communication system with our allies.

This space mission will allow MOD to better understand how the UK and its international partners can work together to create a more capable and flexible system at a lower cost than could be achieved alone. The technology on board the satellites will enable MOD to identify new techniques and algorithms for operating satellites and data processing.

Defence Procurement Minister, Jeremy Quin said:
Space technology is crucial for developing Defence capabilities and the launch of Prometheus-2 represents another important step forward for our homegrown space programme.

This collaboration with In-Space Missions and Airbus paves the way for the UK to become a more resilient, more robust and more significant global space entity.

Deputy CEO at the UK Space Agency, Ian Annett, said:
We are putting the UK at the forefront of small satellite launch, providing world-leading capability for commercial customers and governments within a global market, opening new opportunities and inspiring the current and next generation of British space scientists, engineers and entrepreneurs.

These satellites showcase the UK’s strengths in designing and building satellites. Being able to launch from the UK and across Europe for the first time will boost our satellite industry further, create high skilled jobs across the country and deliver a key ambition of the National Space Strategy.

NRO Director Dr. Chris Scolose said:
We are thrilled to be part of another trailblazing endeavour with the first-ever launch of a commercial rocket from Western Europe.

It’s an honour to join the United Kingdom’s Ministry of Defence in announcing this historic enterprise. We look forward to this remarkable achievement as the foundation of an even stronger collaboration between our nations.

The Cubesats will each have separate equipment on-board to test novel concepts as a pathfinder in support of the Minerva constellation for future space-based intelligence and surveillance.

Director Space at MOD, Air Vice Marshal Harv Smyth said:
This is a great example of the power of international collaboration – a key tenet of our Defence Space Strategy. Prometheus 2 will deliver immense value to the UK MOD’s future space programme and, thanks to our partners in the National Reconnaissance Office, this highly-capable satellite will launch from UK soil this summer.

I am hugely proud of what we have achieved together and this is just the beginning.

Dstl’s Chief Executive, Paul Hollinshead said:
The Prometheus-2 mission, with the first ever directly owned Dstl satellites, exemplifies the decades-long collaborative relationship with our international allies, and shows how we can best partner with industry. It will achieve critical R&D outcomes and help increase our pool of qualified space personnel to help grow the UK’s capability to deliver space systems in the future.

The Cubesats will be carried on Virgin Orbit’s Launcher One rocket which takes off horizontally from a modified Boeing 747 jet, named Cosmic Girl. They will operate in low Earth Orbit, around 550km above the Earth and 50-100km apart at 17,000mph.

Cubesat 1 – includes a hyperspectral imager, a laser detector and a GPS receiver. The hyperspectral imager will capture multiple slivers of pictures over different wavelengths of light for higher definition images. The GPS receiver confirms the precise time and position of the satellite over the area of the Earth to be photographed.

Cubesat 2 – includes two optical imaging cameras, a laser range finder, and a GPS receiver. One camera will be fitted with a wide-angle lens for a 180-degree view of Earth’s surface with the second camera observing the other Cubesat 1 to support space situational awareness and enables us to understand what else orbits the Earth.

These satellites will support MOD’s science and technology activities both in orbit and on the ground, through continued development of Dstl’s Hermes ground-station based in Portsmouth, and enabling improved coordination and collaboration with our international partners.
Click to expand...
 
Flyaway said:
www.gov.uk

First UK satellite launch in summer 2022

As part of a three-year mission two satellites will operate close to Earth experimenting and test imaging and interoperability.
www.gov.uk www.gov.uk

First UK satellite launch in summer 2022
As part of a three-year mission two satellites will operate close to Earth experimenting and test imaging and interoperability.

From:
Ministry of Defence, UK Space Agency, and Defence Science and Technology Laboratory
Published
10 May 2022

The first satellite launch from the UK will take place this summer as Prometheus-2 takes off from Spaceport Cornwall in Newquay, the Defence Procurement Minister, Jeremy Quin has announced today.

Built by In-Space Missions Ltd, based in Hampshire, and designed with Airbus Defence and Space, Prometheus-2 is a collaboration between the UK Ministry of Defence and international partners, including the US National Reconnaissance Office (NRO).

Two shoebox-sized satellites, ‘Cubesats’, will provide a test platform for monitoring radio signals including GPS and sophisticated imaging, paving the way for a more collaborative and connected space communication system with our allies.

This space mission will allow MOD to better understand how the UK and its international partners can work together to create a more capable and flexible system at a lower cost than could be achieved alone. The technology on board the satellites will enable MOD to identify new techniques and algorithms for operating satellites and data processing.

Defence Procurement Minister, Jeremy Quin said:
Space technology is crucial for developing Defence capabilities and the launch of Prometheus-2 represents another important step forward for our homegrown space programme.

This collaboration with In-Space Missions and Airbus paves the way for the UK to become a more resilient, more robust and more significant global space entity.

Deputy CEO at the UK Space Agency, Ian Annett, said:
We are putting the UK at the forefront of small satellite launch, providing world-leading capability for commercial customers and governments within a global market, opening new opportunities and inspiring the current and next generation of British space scientists, engineers and entrepreneurs.

These satellites showcase the UK’s strengths in designing and building satellites. Being able to launch from the UK and across Europe for the first time will boost our satellite industry further, create high skilled jobs across the country and deliver a key ambition of the National Space Strategy.

NRO Director Dr. Chris Scolose said:
We are thrilled to be part of another trailblazing endeavour with the first-ever launch of a commercial rocket from Western Europe.

It’s an honour to join the United Kingdom’s Ministry of Defence in announcing this historic enterprise. We look forward to this remarkable achievement as the foundation of an even stronger collaboration between our nations.

The Cubesats will each have separate equipment on-board to test novel concepts as a pathfinder in support of the Minerva constellation for future space-based intelligence and surveillance.

Director Space at MOD, Air Vice Marshal Harv Smyth said:
This is a great example of the power of international collaboration – a key tenet of our Defence Space Strategy. Prometheus 2 will deliver immense value to the UK MOD’s future space programme and, thanks to our partners in the National Reconnaissance Office, this highly-capable satellite will launch from UK soil this summer.

I am hugely proud of what we have achieved together and this is just the beginning.

Dstl’s Chief Executive, Paul Hollinshead said:
The Prometheus-2 mission, with the first ever directly owned Dstl satellites, exemplifies the decades-long collaborative relationship with our international allies, and shows how we can best partner with industry. It will achieve critical R&D outcomes and help increase our pool of qualified space personnel to help grow the UK’s capability to deliver space systems in the future.

The Cubesats will be carried on Virgin Orbit’s Launcher One rocket which takes off horizontally from a modified Boeing 747 jet, named Cosmic Girl. They will operate in low Earth Orbit, around 550km above the Earth and 50-100km apart at 17,000mph.

Cubesat 1 – includes a hyperspectral imager, a laser detector and a GPS receiver. The hyperspectral imager will capture multiple slivers of pictures over different wavelengths of light for higher definition images. The GPS receiver confirms the precise time and position of the satellite over the area of the Earth to be photographed.

Cubesat 2 – includes two optical imaging cameras, a laser range finder, and a GPS receiver. One camera will be fitted with a wide-angle lens for a 180-degree view of Earth’s surface with the second camera observing the other Cubesat 1 to support space situational awareness and enables us to understand what else orbits the Earth.

These satellites will support MOD’s science and technology activities both in orbit and on the ground, through continued development of Dstl’s Hermes ground-station based in Portsmouth, and enabling improved coordination and collaboration with our international partners.
Click to expand...
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Excellent news, I for one will be looking forward to this launch. This has been a long time coming.
 
nextspaceflight.com

RS1 | UK Pathfinder

ABL SS will launch a RS1 rocket with UK Pathfinder from SaxaVord Spaceport, Shetland Space Centre, United Kingdom.
nextspaceflight.com nextspaceflight.com
UK Pathfinder
Launch Time
NET January, 2023
...
Mission Details
First ABL launch from the UK in collaboration with Lockheed Martin and SaxaVord UK Spaceport, the mission plans to put six CubeSats into orbit.
Payloads: 6
Low Earth Orbit

Location
SaxaVord Spaceport, Shetland Space Centre, United Kingdom
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Launch scheduled for NET 29 October:

Spaceport Cornwall expecting first launch within weeks [dated Sept. 23]

Cornwall Council says it hopes that the first launch from Spaceport Cornwall could take place at the end of October. Virgin Orbit is set to be the first to launch from the new spaceport at Cornwall Airport Newquay.
“There is a launch window that opens on October 29 and stays there for a number of weeks where we plan to do the launch. It remains to be the plan to do the launch in that window.
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https://twitter.com/x/status/1592777104420392961
View: https://twitter.com/uk_caa/status/1592777104420392961


We’ve issued the UK’s first spaceport licence, marking a historic moment for the UK space industry

@SpaceCornwall has received its licence after showing it meets requirements on safety, security, environment, and other aspects needed to operate.

ℹ️ caa.co.uk/news/spaceport…
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Spaceport Cornwall receives first-ever UK spaceport licence | Civil Aviation Authority

www.caa.co.uk www.caa.co.uk

Spaceport Cornwall receives first-ever UK spaceport licence
Published on: 16 November 2022

The UK’s first orbital space launch moved one step closer to take-off as Spaceport Cornwall received the UK’s first ever spaceport licence.

The UK Civil Aviation Authority issued the licence, following consent from Transport Secretary Mark Harper, meaning he is in agreement with the licensing decisions made by the UK Civil Aviation Authority.

Spaceport Cornwall, based at Cornwall Airport Newquay, has demonstrated to the regulator it has met the appropriate safety, security, environment and other aspects to operate a UK spaceport. The approval also means Spaceport Cornwall has the infrastructure, equipment and services for horizontal space launches.

This latest licence adds to nearly 150 satellite licences already approved by the UK Civil Aviation Authority since becoming the UK’s space regulator in July 2021.

The growing space industry will boost innovation and is estimated to be worth £16.5 billion and support 47,000 jobs, with 2,500 apprentices opening the sector up to even more people.

Richard Moriarty, Chief Executive of the UK Civil Aviation Authority, said:

“This is an historic moment as we licence the first ever spaceport in the UK. We’re proud to be playing our part in facilitating the UK’s space ambitions through assessing the safety, security and other requirements of these activities. This is another major milestone to enable this country to become a leading launch nation.

“When we became the space regulator, we committed to delivering in an open, effective and proportionate way, with public safety at its heart. Our work does not stop with this licence decision as we continue to assess other licence applications and oversee the effectiveness of licenced activities, all enabling the UK’s space sector to grow safely and securely.”

Transport Secretary Mark Harper, said:

“The cosmic cornerstone is being laid for the UK’s first orbital space launch, with the UK Civil Aviation Authority granting Spaceport Cornwall the first ever spaceport licence.

“Virgin Orbit’s planned launch reinforces our position as a leading space nation as we look to the future of spaceflight, which can spur growth and innovation across the sector, as well as creating thousands of jobs and apprenticeships.”

Melissa Thorpe, Head of Spaceport Cornwall, said:

“To be the first Spaceport in the UK with a licence to operate is a historic moment. The regulatory environment created by the Civil Aviation Authority ensures that UK launch will set the global bar in terms of responsibility and transparency.

“Cornwall is now ready to open up the use of Space for Good, and support the UK industry in harnessing the power of space to benefit life on Earth.”

The UK Civil Aviation Authority’s licence for Spaceport Cornwall follows months of working closely with government and other organisations including the Marine Management Organisation, the Maritime and Coastguard Agency and the Health and Safety Executive.

The UK Civil Aviation Authority continues to work on several licence applications, including being in very advanced stages with Virgin Orbit on its applications for launch and range licences, as well as the satellite operators, ahead of a proposed first UK launch.

The regulator is also progressing applications from a range of other spaceports and operators, and recently started a consultation on the environmental effects of a proposed SaxaVord launch in Scotland.

Dan Hart, Chief Executive of Virgin Orbit, said:

“Obtaining this license marks a point of distinction for Spaceport Cornwall, and is a key preparatory milestone for this first orbital launch from the UK.

"We appreciate the efforts of the British regulatory agencies with the support of the US Federal Aviation Administration in this first-time licensing process, as we strive in our respective roles to ensure a safe and successful mission in the coming weeks."

Ian Annett, Deputy Chief Executive at the UK Space Agency, said:

“The first ever spaceport licence granted by the UK Civil Aviation Authority is another major milestone as we look forward to the first satellite launch from UK soil this year. Getting to this stage is a testament to the hard work from partners across government and industry to make our launch ambitions a reality and we are now tantalisingly close.

“Establishing orbital launch capabilities in the UK is already bringing investment and jobs into Cornwall and other communities across the UK and inspiring a new generation to join our growing space sector.”

Councillor Louis Gardner, Cornwall Council portfolio holder for economy, said:

"What a fantastic milestone. We are now one step closer to becoming the UK’s first operational Spaceport and I speak for all of us at Cornwall Council as we await with great excitement the next steps, looking towards Launch UK with our partners the UK Space Agency and Virgin Orbit."

Notes to editors

The UK Civil Aviation Authority has been the space regulator since July 2021.
The Civil Aviation Authority has worked closely with the Department for Transport (DfT) and the UK Space Agency (UKSA), which is an executive agency of the Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy (BEIS) in the development of the Space Industry Act (SIA) and the associated Space Industry Regulations and Guidance Material.
Through the licensing process, Spaceport Cornwall has demonstrated that it can meet the appropriate safety, security, environmental, and other requirements set by the Space Industry Act 2018 to be licenced for horizontal launches from Newquay.
A spaceport licence allows a person or organisation to operate a spaceport (i.e. a site from which spacecraft or carrier aircraft can be launched).
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SaxaVord spaceport is taking shape on a remote peninsula in Unst in Shetland, with a 12m-high rocket launch stool already in place, as well as hangars and launch pads under construction.

Owner Frank Strang, who along with his wife Debbie and a small team built the privately-funded spaceport, says the first launch will be “two fingers to the people who tried to put us out of business”.
Click to expand...
www.insider.co.uk

Shetland spaceport ‘weeks away’ from recognition

Owner says imminent launch is 'two fingers to the people who tried to put us out of business'
www.insider.co.uk www.insider.co.uk
 

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