Consortium in talks with 10 potential customers about rocket launches from Spaceport 1
Iain Stephen Morrison
Am Pàipear has learnt that the Spaceport 1 consortium is in talks with ten potential customers about rocket launches from the proposed facility at Scolpaig.
Comhairle nan Eilean Siar is developing the spaceport plans in partnership with organisations including Hebrides Range operator QinetiQ.
QinetiQ last month issued a series of airspace applications on behalf of the consortium to the Civil Aviation Authority, with one of the forms noting there is a commercial demand to launch sounding rockets this year from the Spaceport 1 site at Scolpaig.
“Discussions with several spaceport customers are advanced with one client demonstrating they will be ready to launch their first rocket by September 2021, with a second and third launch in November 2021,” continued the application to the Civil Aviation Authority.
Joe MacPhee, Head of Economic Development wit Comhairle nan Eilean Siar, commented on the demand to launch sounding rockets from Spaceport 1.
“We are currently in discussion with ten launch organisations. Not all will choose Spaceport 1 but we have two customers already committed to launching from the site, subject to all the necessary consents and licences, and others we would describe as extremely good prospects. Customers include universities and commercial companies who wish to launch small vehicles for scientific, research and development or test and evaluation purposes.”
North Uist is described as an ideal location for the spaceport development as both sun synchronous and polar orbital launches are considered achievable from the proposed site and the existing capabilities and technology at Hebrides Range would benefit operations and reduce the capital cost of a potential spaceport at Scolpaig.
It is believed that the business case for Spaceport 1 estimates the operator, over a decade, could turnover £540 million.
However, significant resistance has been recorded in the form of more than 600 objections lodged against an initial application for planning permission for the first phase of work to test the viability of a spaceport at Scolpaig. Concern has been raised about the impact of the proposed spaceport on numerous elements of life on North Uist. Some local residents voiced their fears about the impact on the environment, safety, noise, pollutants and the appearance of the development in the landscape on North Uist.
Support has also been expressed for the development and the potential economic benefits for the island and the wider Outer Hebrides.
Comhairle nan Eilean Siar submitted an application for planning permission for the first phase of works to be undertaken on the proposed site of the spaceport in the summer of 2019. It is anticipated that an amendment to the initial application will be submitted later in 2021.
“Following the submission of the original planning application and the series of seven community meetings in 2019, we have been focussing on developing a comprehensive environmental impact assessment to support our proposal and to respond to concerns raised,” continued Mr MacPhee.
“We have also been doing a lot of work to ensure that we are ready to engage with the Space Industry Act licensing processes when they go live later this year.
“We will not undertake any activity without planning consent, but we are progressing as many strands of the project as we can in parallel, so we can be ready to offer suborbital launch services if consent is granted.
“However, the lead-in to each launch project takes many months as we must continuously engage with the various agencies to ensure we are compliant with the legislation around licensing. For example, a good example of this is the consortium’s recent airspace applications to the Civil Aviation Authority. We need airspace to operate, so from project management perspective it is prudent to be thinking about future launch opportunities now rather than have many months of delay later on.”
Earlier this year Spaceport 1 was listed with the ‘Heads of Terms’ document signed to formalise the Islands Deal, a multimillion pound government investment in the Outer Hebrides and Northern Isles.
“Inclusion in the Islands Deal is hugely positive, but there are several stages for us to go through first in order to agree the capital elements which the Scottish Government wish to fund. It is our intention to present a robust business case which will allow us to put in place the necessary infrastructure to offer a competitive suborbital launch service should we get planning consent,” explained Mr MacPhee.
Comhairle nan Eilean Siar has also confirmed it received a substantial response to the advertisement of grazing rights at Scolpaig Farm, the 687 acre holding that would be the site of Spaceport 1, which the council acquired in 2019.
“We received a large number of expressions of interest to our advertisement for a seasonal grazings lease of Scolpaig Farm. We are working closely with RSPB to ensure that the environmental stewardship measures we agree with the successful applicant will protect and enhance the natural environment of the site.”
