London UK, 24th November 2022 – Construction of the SaxaVord Spaceport in Shetland, where the UK’s first vertical rocket launches will take place next year, is ahead of schedule. 

A piece of space history was made this month when the first concrete base for a launch stool at the Lamba Ness site in Unst was completed. Rocket stage testing is expected to begin there early next year. 

Preparation work is now underway on the first integration hangar, where rockets will be assembled and their small satellite payloads for low earth, sun-synchronous or polar orbits, be integrated. 

A total of £19 million, all privately raised, has been spent on the project to date, including £9 million on public road improvements from the community of Haroldswick up towards the 81-hectare site.  

Construction work, which is employing more than 60 people on-site, started at the end of March this year. 

Britain’s Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has this month launched a consultation to seek views on SaxaVord’s assessment of the environmental effects of the spaceport. The consultation closes on the 8^th of December.

SaxaVord Spaceport CEO Frank Strang said: “Our progress has been phenomenal, despite major constraints and significant challenges on a daily basis. It is a testament to the huge efforts of our spaceport team, main contractor DITT and sub-contractors such as Unst Plant, a local company created specifically to work on our project.”

“More new space history will be made here in Shetland next spring and summer, with the first sub-orbital vertical launches from the UK, followed by vertical orbital launches later in the year. Alongside the eagerly anticipated horizontal launch from Cornwall, this will put the UK firmly on the international spaceflight stage. 

“We now have seven clients all vying for launch windows – and the good news is that we are ahead of schedule, meaning 2023 is going to be a hugely exciting year.” 

Two of the three approved launchpads – Fredo and Elizabeth – are being developed in the first phase of construction, with the third, Calum, to be built in phase two. 

Ends

SaxaVord Spaceport (SaxaVord) is the UK’s first vertical satellite launch facility and ground station located at Lamba Ness in Unst, Shetland. Given Unst is the UK’s highest point of latitude, SaxaVord offers customers a geographic competitive advantage enabling unrivalled payloads per satellite, launch site operations, a network of ground stations, as well as in-orbit data collection and analysis. SaxaVord has received endorsement from the UK Space Agency’s (UKSA) Sceptre Report and formed industry-leading partnerships. It has also been chosen to host the UKSA’s UK Pathfinder launch, which will be delivered by Lockheed Martin and ABL Systems. SaxaVord expect to launch in 2023.

Integral to the UK’s space economy ambitions, SaxaVord is building a highly skilled workforce, championing STEM education and supporting the economic regeneration of Shetland. Follow the journey of SaxaVord, from ground preparation to launch, here.