On March 3, it was reported by the Space News that the British Government has reduced the number of potential commercial Spaceport sites to six ports.
It was during 2014, when the British government, along with the U.K Space Agency, the Department for Transport, and other agencies released an outcome that identified eight different potential commercial spaceport sites in the U.K. This outcome was a result of the consultation on the criteria for a commercial spaceport prepared by the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA).
In the latest 21-page report by the government, it was stated that they were eliminating two potential spaceport sites in Scotland, the Royal Air Force (RAF) base at Lossiemouth and Kinloss Barracks, from future consideration of commercial space transport because of their planned military use of the facilities.
In the report, it was mentioned that the Ministry of Defense "ruled out further consideration of Kinloss Barracks and RAF Lossiemouth because of overriding operational factors." There was a third spaceport site in Scotland, RAF Leuchars which is kept as a "temporary facility for a limited period of time" given the future military use of the air base.
The remaining 5 spaceport sites include 3 airports in Scotland: Campbeltown Airport, Glasgow Prestwick Airport, and Stornoway Airport. Other 2 sites are Llanbedr Airfield which is located in Wales, and Newquay Cornwall Airport which is located in southwestern England.
Highlands and Islands Airports Ltd., the public company who owns and operates the Stornoway Airport, and the Campbeltown Airport says that they have no plans of developing spaceport proposals for the 2 airports.
Grenville Johnston, the chairman of the board of Highlands and Islands Airports Ltd., said "Our preference is to concentrate on our core business of providing airports that serve the people of the Highlands & Islands."
