Proposed legislation by the Conservatives will put Britain at the “heart” of new
spaceflight technology, allowing UK companies to compete in an international market
and generate highly-
The powers will allow the launch of satellites from the UK for the first time, horizontal flights to the edge of space for scientific experiments and the establishment and operation of spaceports in regions across the UK.
Prestwick and Machrihanish have also expressed an interest in developing a spaceport in their areas.
Scottish Secretary David Mundell said: “This new legislation on space ports will be a giant leap forward for Scotland’s ambitious space and satellite sector.
“It will give each of our potential spaceports a fantastic opportunity to establish Scotland as a thriving hub for commercial spaceflight.
“By capitalising on our existing scientific expertise, a Scottish spaceport would create new, skilled jobs drive economic growth.”
The UK space industry is worth £13.7 billion to the economy and satellites support over 38,000 jobs. The global market for launching satellites is estimated to be £25 billion over the next 20 years.
The bill will provide new powers to license a wide range of new spaceflight, including
vertically-
This aims to take the UK into the commercial space age by enabling small satellite launch and spaceflight from UK spaceports.
It would also will create new opportunities for the UK’s scientific community to carry out research in a micro gravity environment.
Plans to build a spaceport in the Western Isles could be boosted by a new powers to be introduced by the UK government, says the Scottish Secretary.
Proposed law could boost Western Isles spaceport plans
24 June 2017