Shetland wins space race with UK's first vertical spaceport approved for island

Construction of the UK’s first vertical spaceport is set to begin in Shetland late next month.

It comes after Shetland Isles Council approved the application by SaxaVord UK Spaceport, which is investing £43 million at the site at Lamba Ness in Unst.

The privately-funded spaceport will be home to three launchpads where small satellites can be launched into low-earth orbits, which usually range from 160km to 1,000km above earth.

Up to 30 launches are planned from Unst every year, with telecommunications, media, weather and defence companies likely to be among clients.

A mock-up of a satellite launch from the new spaceport set for Unst, Shetland, which has now been approved by planners. PIC: Contributed.

SaxaVord UK Spaceport said planning approval was the “critical first step” in both getting the spaceport built and “supporting the UK’s ambitions of becoming a global science superpower”, while establishing the UK as the European hub for commercial spaceflight.

Frank Strang, SaxaVord Spaceport chief executive, said: "We have been working on bringing the space economy to Shetland for five years, so it is fantastic that the economic benefits are already being felt. To date, we have teamed up with established Shetland companies, such as Sandisons and Ocean Kinetics, as well as emerging local organisations, created by Unst residents who wish to support our exciting project."

The plans were approved after issues raised by both Historic Environment Scotland and RSPB were resolved.

The spaceport will be built near the RAF Saxa Vord radar station – a scheduled monument.

Mr Strang said: “We will spend upwards of £43m over the next 18 months, rising to £100m in the next five years. We have already started blasting and crushing stone and are seeking to clarify the conditions imposed on the development by Historic Environment Scotland, Shetland Isles Council and others as soon as possible.

“Our team will collectively do everything in its power to ensure we can deliver this historic mission for Shetland, Scotland and the UK."

Mr Strang said the SaxaVord Spaceport team had received a tremendous amount of support from the people of Unst, and without that support would have struggled to maintain momentum.

He said: "In many ways, it has been humbling for us all. I would like to thank everyone involved for their patience and belief in what we are delivering.”

Mr Strang added: “Lastly, space is a global business, and we at SaxaVord are working with clients from all over the world to achieve this.

“Only the other week, with the Under Secretary of State for Scotland, we hosted several engineers from Edinburgh-based launch company Skyrora, who are committed to launching from our site on Shetland in the next few years.

“Although Scottish domiciled, their roots are very much in Ukraine. I would like to express our very best wishes and support to all their staff and families who are now caught up in the dreadful events in Ukraine following the senseless Russian invasion of their homeland."

The approval under delegated powers provides Scottish ministers with a 28-day window to review the application.

If Scottish ministers choose not to call-in the application in for review, construction can begin.

It is hoped the first orbital launch from UK soil will be made by the end of the year.

Longer-term, the spaceport is projected to be the catalyst to significant social and economic benefits to Unst in particular.

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