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Science & Technology
Scotland will join the space race when north coast site is announced for Britain's first spaceport this week
2018-07-16
From the discussion on NASAspaceflight dot com:
So £2.5m for vertical launch at Sutherland (Lockheed Martin backed consortium, rumoured to be for Rocket Labs' Electron), along with £2m for horizontal launch at other sites.

Lockheed has made no secret of its desire to bring the Electron rocket to Scotland. Currently, this vehicle flies out of New Zealand.

A British version of the rocket would have an upper-stage developed and built at LM's UK HQ in Ampthill, Bedfordshire.

"This is a defining moment for UK Space," a spokesperson for the company told BBC News. "Lockheed Martin has been working with Britain for over 80 years and we stand ready to support the development of UK launch capability should our extensive experience in developing space infrastructure be called upon."

It looks like Newquay has been selected for horizontal launch.

There will be additional money for two new spaceports - one in Cornwall, one in Scotland - and a long-awaited commitment to build a new high-tech fighter aircraft that will eventually replace the Eurofighter Typhoon.
Posted by:Skidmark

#11  Virgin Orbit will be the first to fly rockets to space from the UK
Posted by: Skidmark   2018-07-16 18:48  

#10  Scotland and New Zealand are only good for polar orbits, polar orbits are only good for unmanned missions. That's all fine and good, but its limited.
Posted by: ruprecht   2018-07-16 16:35  

#9  Hey! Some whisky is good rocket fuel.
Posted by: M. Murcek   2018-07-16 14:19  

#8  Cleared some rocks, plowed a bog. Slammed some whiskey. Called it a space port.

I have a waterfall in the back garden. Maybe I'll open a seaport.
Posted by: Woodrow   2018-07-16 12:53  

#7  We can’t BREXIT! Our space program would suffer!
Posted by: Clem Kadiddlehopper9000   2018-07-16 11:52  

#6  *snort*
Posted by: Frank G   2018-07-16 10:48  

#5  Deacon, go to your room.
Posted by: Glenmore   2018-07-16 10:05  

#4  They will probably put seven or 8 sheep in orbit around the Earth and call it "The Herd Shot "Round the World".
Posted by: Deacon Blues   2018-07-16 10:00  

#3  Sutherland beat off competition from Prestwick, Ayrshire, Unst in the Shetlands and Newquay airport, Cornwall.

Give 'em a big hand for that effort...
Posted by: M. Murcek   2018-07-16 07:16  

#2  Now Iran has a launchpoint that can reach New York.
Posted by: Skidmark   2018-07-16 02:11  

#1  Space haggis - it's finally gonna happen!
Posted by: Raj   2018-07-16 00:24  

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