Prestwick Spaceport moves closer to lift off with Astraius Partnership
Prestwick Spaceport has secured a launch partner for its spaceport development in a landmark deal that will boost Scotland’s space industry ambitions and create an important strategic asset for the UK.
The spaceport, represented by Glasgow Prestwick Airport and South Ayrshire Council, yesterday signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Astraius, the leading UK based, commercially operated horizontal ‘air launch’ company. The organisations will collaborate closely alongside other key project partners, including Scottish and UK governments, to prepare for the orbital launch of small satellites from 2023.
G&T has worked closely with South Ayrshire Council since 2019 as their Strategic Partner leading the delivery of the spaceport alongside additional projects under the Ayrshire Growth Deal. We continue to provide a turnkey service, deploying and managing a team of specialists including programme management, cost management, safety, security, airspace management, launch, environmental and infrastructure design consultants.
The agreement brings together proven horizontal launch technology - which allows the release of a rocket carrying small satellites from high altitude - with a world class spaceport, in response to a growing demand from customers. The global satellite market is booming, with operators of technology no larger than a shoebox looking to access “Low Earth Orbit” (LEO) to carry out activities that include monitoring climate change and tracking deforestation.
Yesterday’s announcement will substantially bolster Scotland’s space industry ambitions. Glasgow already manufactures more small satellites than anywhere in the world outside of California, while Edinburgh has positioned itself as the space data capital of Europe, leading on the analysis of space derived data to bring a range of benefits to a variety of business sectors, the environment and wider society.
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