Forres-based rocket manufacturer Orbex announces construction has started at Sutherland Spaceport
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CONSTRUCTION has started on the launch pad a local firm will use to launch rockets into space.
Forres Enterprise Park-based rocket services company, Orbex, has announced work on Sutherland Spaceport (formerly known as Space Hub Sutherland) - the first vertical launch spaceport to be built on the UK mainland.
Chief development officer and interim CEO, at Orbex, Kristian von Bengtson, confirmed the company will use it to launch up to 12 rockets per year into Earth’s orbit.
He said: “Sutherland represents a new breed of spaceport, for a new breed of rocket. This is 21st century, agile spaceflight with sustainability at its core.
"Construction of Sutherland Spaceport is an important piece of the puzzle that will make the UK a modern space nation.
"We’re hopefully setting the tone for how business can be a force for good, creating jobs and opportunities while minimising the impact upon the environment.”
Sutherland Spaceport is intended to be the first carbon-neutral spaceport in the world, in its construction and its operation. One illustration of this is how peat lifted during the construction will be re-used to repair large areas of peatland that have degraded over centuries.
The commercial spaceport is expected to support around 250 new employment opportunities. Economic impact assessments commissioned by Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) conclude that the presence of the spaceport has the potential to generate almost £1b in gross value added for the Highlands and Islands economy over the next 30 years.
The Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA) will contribute £3m to support the development, completing a public investment package that also includes just over £9m from HIE and the Scottish Government and £2.55m that the UK Space Agency announced in 2018.
The NDA chose to support Sutherland Spaceport following the decommissioning of the nearby Dounreay nuclear power station, as part of its remit to retire the UK’s oldest nuclear sites while supporting affected communities and the environment.
Orbex recently signed a 50-year sub-lease with HIE, enabling Orbex to direct the construction and assume full operational management of the new facility on the community-owned Melness Crofters Estate.
Orbex’s role in the spaceport is expected to stimulate significant private investment that will benefit the local community through job creation, supply chain opportunities and other associated economic benefits.
In addition to short-term contracts for local businesses and contractors, Orbex will be recruiting for skilled local jobs to support operations. Roles will span areas including facilities and operational management, security, general administration and finance, stakeholder engagement and launch campaign-related roles.
Last May, Orbex revealed the first full orbital micro-launcher in Europe. Prime is a 19-metre long, two-stage rocket designed to transport small satellites weighing up to 180kg into Low Earth Orbit (LEO). The six rocket engines on the first stage of the rocket will propel the vehicle through the atmosphere to an altitude of around 80km. The single engine on the second stage of the rocket will complete the journey to LEO, allowing the release of its payload of small commercial satellites into Earth's orbit.
Orbex has received widespread interest from commercial satellite manufacturers and has already signed launch contracts with seven customers.
The company also recently concluded its Series C funding round, netting the company an additional £40.4m.
Uniquely, Orbex Prime is powered by a renewable bio-fuel, Futuria Liquid Gas, supplied by Calor UK. This fuel allows significantly reduced carbon emissions compared to other similarly sized rockets. A study by the University of Exeter showed that a single launch of the Orbex Prime rocket will produce 96 per cent lower carbon emissions than comparable space launch systems using fossil fuels. Prime is also a re-usable rocket which has been engineered to leave zero debris on Earth and in orbit.
In preparation for the first launch, Orbex is performing a wide variety of integration tests, as well as testing launch procedures including rollout, strongback deployment and fuelling procedures. To support the integration testing stage, over the last few months, Orbex has ramped up its recruitment efforts for its Forres headquarters, adding dozens of new team members.
Richard Lochhead MSP said: "Scotland plays a leading role in the space sector and with the global market projected to grow to £490 billion by 2030, we are well placed to become Europe’s leading space nation by 2030.
“Sutherland Spaceport and Orbex will play a vital role in providing benefits for our people, our economy and our planet.
“I was delighted to be able to visit Sutherland Spaceport for this important milestone. As I told Parliament last week, the Scottish space sector is opening up new frontiers.”
