Written by Geoffrey Bastin
Have you ever wondered why the UK hasn’t got a spaceport?
Well it seems that situation is about to be changed thanks to a number of crofters and an equally important planning decision that will allow land belonging to the Melness Crofters’ Estate in Sutherland, Scotland to use a large area for the launch of small space vehicles twelve times a year. The land will still be used for crofting and grazing and will only need to be cleared within a 36-hour notice of an impending launch.
Approval of the Crofters was not unanimous with 27 for, 18 against and one spoilt ballot paper. The nearest population numbers around 200 and those in favour are concerned to maintain a local tradition for the future.
The good news is it will keep the area alive and create 40 new jobs and the same elsewhere as Sutherland is the furthest north on mainland UK where rockets don’t have to pass over habitable areas and their booster rockets can be collected after launch.
Of course considerations over pollution are always present and the facility apart from a launchpad and control facilities will also involve storage for bio propane being the main propulsion fuel.
The projects initial cost is around £18 million (2018 estimate) for which the UK government is providing around £3 million.
So it’s all systems go to start building the space hub said a representative for the Crofters in conjunction with Highlands and Islands Enterprise who will own the facility and Orbex the company that will use the facilities along with the UK Space Agency.
The payloads won’t be large initially being around 125kgs rising to 180kgs.
Now Orbex is a new company that will be using its Prime rockets that are manufactured near Inverness. Strangely the other original operator Lockheed Martin, an American company, was due to share the facilities but has now decided to make its own arrangements with the Shetland Space Centre on the Island of Unst. Surely that can’t have anything to do with possible Scottish independence, could it? Possibly a wise move as launch dates could become an issue although it’s even further away from the mainland, being stuck out nearly into the Norwegian sea.
The amount of space activity today is mind-boggling with hundreds of small communication satellites being launched for all sorts of purposes including Wi-Fi for rural areas which cannot be linked at present, to ever more navigational and very high-frequency electromagnetic radiation signals for 5G, artificial intelligence and of course military purposes.
The concerns over space junk are growing and keeping a track of all that hardware must be a problem for someone. This new UK space hub reassures us that nothing will be left to pollute the land, sea or space so it seems Highland and Islands Enterprise have thought of just about everything.
I’m not privy to the landscape around that area and judging by the artist’s impressions it is fairly flat with buildings that will have green roofs and blend into the local scenery.
I just hope the birds get wise and the sheep recognise the 36-hour warnings as they begin their migration well away from the action with the use of some good earplugs at the ready. Let’s also hope some of those old crofters cottages don’t get shaken too badly requiring substantial rebuilding after every launch. Mind you that by itself will create local employment.
—but that surely depends on whether Scotland gets its independence or not. Sturgeon is already calling for the removal of the nuclear submarines from Scotland.
We cannot afford an independent Scotland. For sure if they get it then the EU will seize the opportunity to give them membership and even subsidise them to cause yet more problems with another EU land border. We need the return of the United Kingdom. Maybe the Sturgeon has a promise already of financial aid from the EU; they can’t manage without the present subsidies from us.
I agree with you Jack that we cannot afford an independent Scotland for all (plus) the reasons you have given
But I don’t think I am so gloomy as I was about the inevitability of Independence,
I cannot say I have any positive proof, but I have a feeling that the Nicola charm effect has peaked, particularly as I think she has overplayed her hand.
Starting with the almost daily Covid harangue and coupled with the seemingly alternate daily Scottish parliamentary harangue it is slowly sinking into the wider public’s perception that this constant in yer face vision is short on fact and very little more than a publicity seeking operation -very successful and effective. She is the true and only voice of Independent Scotland
Her manner might be described as gratingly authoritive, which is all very well in rallying the troops to yet one more bloody decisive independent battle, but eminently not suitable post independence when she becomes in effect First Minister for life.
(Do the public expect parliamentary democracy to invade Scotland after they gain independence? Have they thought she might do a Boris and rule by decree – declare a constant state of emergency could be her game)
Apart from her already dictatorial manner, there are other signs that the push to independence is burning out, not least the mismanagement of Scottish affairs particularly health, education and the economy, which were the result of a party tired and too long in government and which were vividly exposed during the recent tribunal investigations from which she emerged wounded rather than vindicated and very shifty in some of her answers..
There have also been recent polls that show the popularity of independence is declining quite rapidly and of course there is the great big brick Nicola dropped recently when she signed up with the Greens to ensure she had a majority.
Did nobody tell her the Greens were anti fossil fuels, that inevitably North Sea Oil and gas, from which Scotland claims revenues will go.
Apart from the already crazy economy she runs, it hasn’t taken long to sink in to the greater Scottish population that without that revenue stream,the economy will become crazier still.
I’m pleased to say (well, hope!) this irritating and unmelodious woman has had her day
(Shifty! ha what did I expect – she’s a politician)
The problem may be expert personnel. My son is a Dr of Space Physics and he was head hunted and lives in Canada. The European Space Agency have also made him a Fellow to head up a major project for them. The brain drain continues.
Yes,I heard about this one.Surprising really. Spaceports are normally near to the equator where the spin of the Earth imparts extra velocity to the launch vehicle.
(Hence Florida and French Guiana.)
“Boris Johnson or Keith Starmer being uplifted from there..”
What a great idea provided that they are not allowed to return. Of course there are many others who we need to join them. Maybe they could hold a raffle for pressing the launch button…
I thought you were going to point out the glaring mistake calling Keir Starmer Keith. But you’re absolutely right to say that others including those I dare not mention could also be fired off on a one way ticket. It could be a wonderful way for waste disposal without the residue.
Nice one ! !
Yes Soros, Swarb Blair and Gates. We have liftoff……
Plus Macron, Trudeau and that hob goblin from NZ
Unfortunately it would have problems with lift off.