Scotland 'on track' to become key centre in European spaceflight
The growth in Scotland’s space sector has been rapid
Scotland’s space industry is preparing for a “landmark” year with the country “on track” to become a key centre for European spaceflight.
Parallels have been drawn between the growth of the sector in Scotland - driven by collaboration between universities, companies and governments - and the successful Artemis II moon mission, which was underpinned by an international network of exceptional expertise.
Dr Natasha Nicholson, chief executive of Space Scotland, said: “Scotland may be small geographically, but its ambitions and partnerships are global. As Artemis brings the world together to return to the Moon, Scotland is showing how collaboration on Earth can drive growth, innovation and opportunity while helping shape the future of space.”
“Artemis shows how governments, agencies, researchers and companies can work together across borders to build shared infrastructure in orbit and beyond. That same spirit of partnership is shaping the growth of Scotland’s space sector and helping position the country as a globally connected space nation.”
Scotland’s space sector is preparing for the first rocket launches from SaxaVord Spaceport in Unst, Shetland, the only fully licensed vertical launch spaceport in the UK, sometime this summer. It has permission to handle up to 30 launches carrying small satellite payloads each year.
Dr Nicholson said: “It is set to be a landmark year for Scotland. With Scotland poised to host vertical launches, the country is on track to become a key hub for European spaceflight.
“This capability strengthens Scotland’s position as one of the few places in Europe able to support complete mission delivery, from design and manufacture through to launch and the downstream application of satellite data.”
She said Scotland was the “smallest geographical area in the world” to host a “complete space value chain”.
The Scottish sector spans satellite design, manufacturing, launch vehicle development, spaceports, data analytics and downstream applications “within a compact footprint”. Dr Nicholson added.
“ Capability alone is not enough. The real strength lies in connectivity. Scotland’s space industry has grown rapidly over the past decade, but what makes it distinctive is not just the pace of growth. It is the way that growth is happening.”
She said that the mix of companies in the space sector collaborated, rather than work in isolation, with universities and industry working “side by side”. Governments, meanwhile, supported coordination.
Following a £4.6m investment from the UK Space Agency in December, which was announced in Glasgow, University of Edinburgh is developing an instrument to measure pollution from space. University of Strathclyde is developing a satellite navigation system that doesn't rely on GPS plus a UV device that allows secure data tranmission between satellites, strengthening cybersecurity in orbit. At Heriot-Watt, a quantum communication transmitter for small satellites in being devised.
“Having all the capabilities in one place is valuable, but connecting them is what truly matters. This approach mirrors Artemis itself, a distributed network of expertise working together to deliver something greater than the sum of its parts,” she said.
Last month, senior diplomats from 19 countries gathered in Edinburgh for a Scottish space forum with representatives from Europe, North American and Asia Pacific locked in discussions with Scottish companies focussed on trade, investment and market access.
“This engagement reflects Scotland’s accelerating position in the international space economy,” Dr Nicholson said.
She highlighted the success of Scottish satellite manufacturer AAC ClydeSpace, which has had payloads on every SpaceX Transporter mission to date, and a fifth of the most recent mission included Scottish built payloads.
“As Artemis shows, no single nation can deliver the future of space alone. Scotland’s growth is being powered by partnerships internationally and at home that bring together complementary capabilities and shared ambition,” she added.
Delegations from Belgium’s Wallonia region, the South Australian Government and AviaSpace Bremen, one of Europe’s leading aerospace clusters, are due in Scotland soon.
Subsequent visits from the United States, Flanders and additional German space clusters, including tours of SaxaVord’s Shetland launch site, are set to follow.
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