View Larger Map
Scotland's Lossiemouth is the best place for a UK spaceport for launching satellites by rocket and by air-launch according to the British National Space Centre (BNSC), which is expected to become a space agency later this year
David Williams, director general for the BNSC, told Hyperbola about the study's conclusion at the 10 February publication event of the Space innovation and growth team report. Within the report's 16 recommendations it proposes changes to the UK Outer Space Act - the UK's domestic law to comply with the cold war-era outer space treaties its ratified - to help space tourism operators
The BNSC study examined the UK's coastline for likely launch sites and due to launch system reliability and a need for a clear airspace Williams says that Lossiemouth is the best option. Due to its northerly location it also has advantages for satellites that are to be placed in a polar orbit
Lossiemouth is already the location of a Royal Air Force base. Because of the RAF's base long runway Virgin Galactic has expressed interest in operating from there. The spaceline is also interested in launching micro satellites using its WhiteKnight Two carrier aircraft and an expendable rocket
UK space minister Lord Paul Drayson of Kensington announced that the BNSC would become a space agency last December
Hyperbola understands that the sites that came a close second to Lossiemouth are Kinloss and Macrihanish. Lossiemouth faired better because its near mountains that shield it from heavier rain fall
The study found that launching eastward from further south down the UK North Sea coast could endanger oil rigs from falling first stages. The study also examined the UK's former Thor ICBM bases
The study found that launching eastward from further south down the UK North Sea coast could endanger oil rigs from falling first stages. The study also examined the UK's former Thor ICBM bases
on February 10, 2010 6:30 PM | Reply
This is far more realistic & likely to happen than anything from the former American space program, whatever it was called. Suspect the Moray Golf Club is going to be the center of space travel outside Asia. Plenty of room on the fairways & marrital cheaters for spent rocket boosters to land on.
on February 11, 2010 2:09 PM | Reply
Does this mean Virgin Galactic is now rethinking it's decision to use Kiruna, as it's main European launch facility...?
(The reason for the above, is that parts of Kiruna are rapidly subsiding, due to the effects of deep level Magnatite mining, over the past 90 or so years, & in theory, Kiruna itself could disappear down it's own mine shafts...).
on February 11, 2010 2:16 PM | Reply
No. I don't think that Virgin Galactic will fly from Lossiemouth anytime soon. The Swedes are eager to see SpaceShipTwo fly from Kiruna while the UK government has done very little to make things happen on the space tourism front.