Science Minister Chris Skidmore this week confirmed a further £1.3 million towards developing spaceport plans in England, Scotland and Wales, as part of the government’s spaceflight programme, LaunchUK. The cash is on top of £7.85 million which the Government plans to invest in developing horizontal launch facilities and operational capabilities at Spaceport Cornwall with Virgin Orbit. In 2017, Bank of America estimated the global space economy will be worth £900billion ($1.09trillion) by 2030.
Ms Barcham set out the UK’s ambitious plans during a seminar at the UK Space Conference 2019, being held at the International Conference Centre Wales this week.
She told Express.co.uk: “In order to achieve that level of growth we need to unlock new opportunities to new markets.
“We are not going to achieve that through natural growth in the sector.
“One of the gaps we have at the moment is launch.
“We can do most parts of the value chain – we build numerous assets in the UK.
“In fact we are pioneers in the manufacture of small satellites.
“Here in the UK we’ve been doing it for decades and we can create innovative applications with the data that we receive from small satellites operating in orbit.
“The one that we can’t do here in the UK is launch them here.
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“It’s an opportunity to support our own unique businesses already in the UK, so those small satellite companies, that are really looking for dynamic, responsive and low-cost launch services so they can get their satellites into orbit quickly and cheaply, and also to foster growth in new technologies in the UK.
“So those launch companies that are starting to grow here or arrive here from overseas so it’s a fantastic chance to take advantage of growing demand in the sector for new launch services and the provision of new technical solutions to launch together in the UK.”
Horizontal launch capabilities would enable satellites to be launched via a large aircraft with a rocket underneath it.
The UK Space Agency has also committed £31.5 million in grants for the proposed vertical launch spaceport project in Sutherland, Scotland, and for Lockheed Martin and British company Orbex to provide launch services from that site.
Commenting on the latest cash injection, Mr Skidmore said: “Our space sector is incredibly strong and productive, with innovative firms and the UK’s world-class university researchers playing a leading role in the new space age.
“A truly strategic approach to space is needed now more than ever and we must develop our national space capabilities, while strengthening our international partnerships, to take full advantage of opportunities like satellite launch from the UK and defend against serious threats such as space weather.”
The latest batch of money will be shared between sites around the country:
- £499,811 to Snowdonia Aerospace for the Snowdonia Spaceport Development Plan, which aims to create a centre for space R&D, training and satellite launch
- £488,000 to Machrihanish Airbase Community Company for the spaceport cluster plan in Argyle, Scotland, centred on an aerodrome with the longest runway in Scotland
- £306,480 to Cornwall Council for an Accelerated Business Development and Research Project at Spaceport Cornwall, supporting its ambition to be a centre for future flight technologies