UK Space Agency chief 'excited and optimistic' following visit to site of Space Hub Sutherland
Register for free to read more of the latest local news. It's easy and will only take a moment.
The chief executive of the UK Space Agency has spoken of his “excitement and optimism for what is to come” following a visit to the site of the planned Space Hub Sutherland.
Paul Bate also confirmed in a blog, written following his trip, that the multi-million pound new facility will create 60 highly skilled jobs in Caithness and Sutherland - including 44 on the north Sutherland site.
Detractors of the project have questioned the number of onsite jobs, claiming the large proportion will be based elsewhere.
Mr Bate visited Forres, Kinloss and the north coast during his two days in the Highlands on Tuesday and Wednesday, March 8-9.
He toured the Forres factory of Orbex, the space flight firm which will be the principal users of Space Hub Sutherland, and visited Kinloss where Orbex is testing its recently fabricated launch pad for the Prime rocket it is developing.
During his two days with the Space Hub Sutherland and Orbex teams, Mr Bate was taken to the 10-acre site on the remote A’Mhoine peninsula – between Tongue and Durness – earmarked for the spacehub, construction work on which has yet to start.
He also met members of the local community and crofters from Melness Crofters’ Estate, who own the land.
Space Hub Sutherland was the first spaceport in the UK to receive planning permission and will include a launch pad and control centre designed to cater for the needs of multiple launch companies and vehicles. Up to 12 launches a year are expected to take place from Sutherland.
Mr Bate said: “This is a key project in our wider programme of work to bring launch capability to UK shores for the first time.
"Orbex and Space Hub Sutherland are a key part of our ambition to create a thriving, small satellite launch market in the UK and it was a pleasure to see first-hand the work they are doing."
The chief executive, who has previously visited Spaceport Cornwall and Saxa Vord Spaceport on Unst, said the enthusiasm of all those he had met had been “contagious".
“The passion and professionalism of all those at the forefront of making UK launch a reality is inspiring…. It was there in spades during the trip to Sutherland, Forres and Kinloss," he said.
“The economic and community development agency, Highlands and Islands Enterprise, really understands the positive role that space plays to our economy both locally and nationally and has involved the local community on every step of the spaceport journey.
“The crofters I met, who manage the land, are excited about the impact of the spaceport on the current generation and generations to come.
“As one crofter put it, the spaceport will reverse the decline in numbers of children attending the local school that she has witnessed over generations from 60 pupils when she was there, 30 for her children and down to 15 for her grandchildren.
“The emerging space industry provides highly skilled jobs so young adults can stay in the play they love, raise families and help their community thrive in a sustainable way.
“My visit to Space Hub Sutherland and Orbex has given me a timely boost of excitement and optimism for what is to come.”
