Forres joining space race is chance not to be missed – leader comment

“Space: the final frontier. These are the voyages of rockets built at the Forres park, Enterprise.”

Artist's impressions of the planned UK spaceport at the A'Mhoine peninsula in Sutherland (Picture: Lockheed Martin/SWNS)

The real-life Star Trek story currently unfolding in the Highlands may lack the drama of encounters with suspiciously human-like aliens – so far, at least – but it is almost equally exciting in terms of its potential economic impact.

Private spacelight company Orbex has announced it plans to build rockets at Forres Enterprise Park, which will then be launched from a proposed spaceport on the A’Mhoine Peninsula in Sutherland.

The firm aims to start sending up small satellites from what it described as the “excellent launch site”, while US aerospace giant Lockheed Martin is also developing a launch system for use there.

At a time when the private sector is becoming increasingly involved in Space Age technologies because of the prospect of large amounts of money to be made – with the UK Space Agency estimating spaceflight could be worth £3.8 billion to the UK economy over the next decade – Scotland seems to have a real chance to become a significant player in what is, without doubt, an industry of the future.