(Photo Credit: UK Space Agency)
The U.K. has taken a massive step towards establishing itself as a leader in the rapidly-expanding space industry by unveiling eight locations throughout England, Wales and Scotland that could host the nation’s first spaceport. Britain aims to become Europe’s leading space nation, and the government’s ambition to create a world-class U.K. spaceport by 2018 is bringing the country one step closer to it’s goal.
Aviation Minister Robert Goodwill and Dr. David Parker, Chief Executive of the U.K. Space Agency, made the announcement at Farnborough Air Show’s ‘Space Day’. Speaking at the convention, the duo unveiled the findings of a recent Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) report which highlighted eight existing airfields and aerodromes that could be transformed to host a spaceport that is capable of supporting suborbital flights and satellite launches.
The potential coastal locations now under consideration include:
- Campbeltown Airport (Scotland)
- Glasgow Prestwick Airport (Scotland)
- Kinloss Barracks (Scotland)
- RAF Leuchars (Scotland)
- RAF Lossiemouth (Scotland)
- Stornoway Airport (Scotland)
- Llanbedr Airport (Wales)
- Newquay Cornwall Airport (England)
The British government have a clear ambition for the UK’s space industry. The sector has been growing at an average of 7.2% over the last two years and there are hopes that the field could capture 10% of the global commercial space market, which is estimated to be worth £400 billion by 2030.
The plan is for Britain to have a fully operational spaceport that would serve commercial spaceflight companies, such as, Virgin Galactic, XCOR and Swiss Space Systems, with satellite launch services to follow. It would also create a centre for related technology and service businesses.
Business Secretary Vince Cable explained: “Space is big business for the UK. It already contributes £11.3 billion to the economy each year, supporting nearly 35,000 jobs. That’s why it’s important for us to prepare the U.K. for new launcher technology and take steps towards meeting our ambition of establishing the first British spaceport by 2018.”
“Exploring the opportunities that commercial spaceflight presents, and potentially making strategic investments in this area, will support the growth of this thriving industry and underpin the economy of tomorrow, making the UK the place for space”, Cable added.
The Department for Transport will now consult a specific set of criteria to narrow down the short list. In addition to a host of meteorological, environmental and economic factors, the location must:
- Have an existing runway, which is, or is capable of, being extended to more than 3,000 metres in length
- Have the ability to accommodate a dedicated, segregated airspace to manage spaceflights safely
- Be secluded from large population centres and busy conventional airspaces
- Be located a reasonable distance away from densely populated areas in order to minimise impact on the general public
- Have good land, sea and air transport links
- Be located somewhere with as favourable weather conditions as possible (strong consistent crosswinds and thick cloud could restrict operations)
Goodwill announced: “The space industry in Britain is once again confident and flourishing. The technologies that enable commercial spaceflight, including space tourism, are now just over the horizon. That’s why it is important we start laying the foundations today for the infrastructure that we will need tomorrow. We want the U.K. to be at the forefront of the next stage of spaceflight”.
The British government will now consult colleagues in other national governments, as well as interested commercial spaceflight operators, to forge partnerships, and share experiences and expertise with colleagues at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration and the Federal Aviation Authority’s Office of Commercial Space Transportation. Additionally, the government will seek the views of local residents and other stakeholders before any decisions to proceed with a planned spaceport are made.
This was first published on The Global Panorama website. I am reproducing it after taking permission to do so.
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