UK space law: introducing the UK's new spaceports and space hubs

In part 2: A journey towards lift-off, we explore the UK’s launch facilities and the nexus of space related enterprises which support the growing space economy.

As explored in our first article in this series, the UK’s regulatory progress has enabled commercial space launch services within its borders,[1] and the UK is now beginning to actively promote its space launch capacity and capitalise on its emerging infrastructure.

On 9 January 2023, the UK historically made its first ever orbital launch attempt from UK soil from Spaceport Cornwall. [2] This moment clearly demonstrated the UK’s growing launch capability which is being followed by vertical launches from Scotland later this year. The Cornwall launch highlighted the risks and limitations of launching, yet the UK can mitigate many of these by providing numerous site locations due to its well-placed geography which allows for safer trajectories out to sea and access a range of valuable polar and sun-synchronous orbits.

The UK Space Agency plays a major role in delivering the UK government’s National Space Strategy, catalysing investment in the UK space sector and enabling missions and capabilities. A summary of the strategy can be found in their LaunchUK brochure which details the wide range of opportunities the UK offers as a hub for space related activities.[1] Most notable are the range of industry-led projects to build new UK launch capabilities, with several examples listed on a brochure entitled “A guide to the UK’s commercial spaceports” of which seven spaceports are under development and on track to provide a variety of space launch services within the next few years.[2] However, such projects would not be viable unless they were supported by the industrial and academic hubs (Space Hubs) that enable such historical moments to occur.[3]

We set out below a snapshot of several space hubs and spaceports that are established within the UK which demonstrate the vibrant space economy.

Scotland

Scotland is described in the brochure as “the best place in the UK to reach in-demand satellite orbits with vertically launched rockets” and it is not hard to imagine why. Launching rockets remains a dangerous business, which means that it is best for such activities to take place close to water. It is also ideal for spaceports to be located at relatively high elevation, as this makes it easier to reach orbit. Finally, restrictions around the proximity that spaceports can be to the public means that sparsely populated areas are ideal for space launch activities. Unsurprisingly then, Scotland has the largest number of commercial spaceports under development and hosts the only proposed vertical launch facilities in the UK. The five ports are:

Shetland Space Centre “The SaxaVord”:[1] Located on the Unst Isle of the Shetland Islands, this facility became operational in 2023 following SaxaVord UK Spaceport successfully submitting its Spaceport and Range Licence applications in 2022. The spaceport will provide Vertical Orbital inclinations: Sun-synchronous, suborbital, orbital and polar orbits. It has a planned departure of the ABL Space Systems, Rocket Factory Augsburg, HyImpulse, and potentially others.

Space Hub Sutherland:[2] Located on the A’ Mhòine peninsula in the north of Scotland, this is another facility which successfully submitted its licence application in 2022. The port plans to be operational later this year with the ability to provide polar and sun-synchronous obits by vertical launch. Space Hub Sutherland was the first spaceport in the UK to receive planning permission.

Spaceport 1: Located on North Uist, an island in the Outer Hebrides, Spaceport 1 was intended to become operational in 2021 (following the first commercial rocket launch).[3] However, full operation use of the spaceport was initially delayed due to planning issues which the Scottish Government decided it would not block.[4] The site is planned to be another vertical launch provider for polar and sun-synchronous orbits, and is expected to host its first official launch in late 2024 or early 2025.

Spaceport Machrihanish:[5] Located in Argyll, this is the first horizontal (air launch from a carrier aircraft) port in Scotland becoming operational in 2023.

Prestwick Spaceport:[6] The second of Scotland’s two horizontal ports operating from Glasgow’s Prestwick Airport. Prestwick Spaceport aims to establish itself to provide sub-orbital and Polar Orbit, Molniya and other high inclinations (North and South). The spaceport plans to become fully operational this year with their first planned launch with Astraius.

Consequently, Scotland prime location for spaceports has also led to an extensive and well-connected number of Space Hubs to support these launch sites. For example:

1. the Higgs Centre for Innovation, a new purpose-built, industry-focused centre containing both dedicated cleanrooms and business incubation facilities;
2. [7]​one of The Science and Technology Facilities Council’s sites (Edinburgh);
3. the Advanced Forming Research Centre of the University of Strathclyde; and
4. a number of space related enterprises offices and/or manufacturing, testing and assembly sites.

England

There are also space launch facilities elsewhere in the UK, including one in England. Spaceport Cornwall,[8] at Cornwall Airport Newquay, already has much of the infrastructure in place to provide horizontal launch as it has one of the longest runways in the UK and has upgraded existing facilities to service the spaceport. Spaceport Cornwall has already attempted its first departure with Virgin Orbit’s LauncherOne Rocket in 2023.[9] Following this minor setback the port has announced they are close to naming their new launch partner with launches set for early 2025.

As for Space Hubs, England has a number of thriving sites which all focus on developments within the space sector. A number of these Space Hubs include:

1. Surrey’s world leading centre of excellence in space engineering;[10]
2. Space Park Leicester’s research and development facilities;[11]
3. Oxfordshire’s Harwell Space Cluster hosting around 105 space related organisations;[12] and
4. Buckinghamshire’s Westcott Venture Park, which includes a rocket testing facility, the National Space Propulsion Test Facility (the only facility of its kind in the UK).[13]

Wales

Spaceport Snowdonia rounds off the set of UK spaceports. Located just off the coast in Llanbedr, Gwynedd, Spaceport Snowdonia aims to provide Sun-synchronous, polar orbits and sub-orbital, having already conducted a near space balloon test in conjunction with its partner B2Space and Newton Launch Systems. Spaceport Snowdonia plans to achieve spaceport certification by the end of this year and be fully operational by 2025.

Wales also boasts a number of facilities and academic Space Hubs to support its launch facilities, such as the TWI Technology Centre in Wales (specialising in non-destructive testing (NDT) and both Swansea and Cardiff University, which are noted as providing facilities for space related research.

Summary

Overall, the UK spaceports and Space Hubs have been gathering momentum over the last few years. Alongside the ideal geography of the UK, the spaceports are supported by an extensive array of business which are driving the development of the UK spaceports to become operational and/or host launches or prepare for planned launches. With the ideal location and legislation in place, it will be interesting to see if the UK’s space economy continues with the current trajectory.