Shetland has made history as the first spaceport in Western Europe. SaxaVord Spaceport had just received a full license to do vertical rocket launches.
SaxaVord Spaceport in Shetland
The Civil Aviation Authority has approved SaxaVord Spaceport on the little island of Unst to start launching rockets in 2024. It will be Western Europe's first spaceport with a full license to launch vehicles into orbit vertically.
Up to 30 launches are allowed annually, which will be used to carry payloads, including satellites, into orbit. Currently constructing rockets, the site's first spaceport in Scotland is home to several launch operators from across the globe.
It is anticipated that starting in August, the German rocket company HyImpulse will try sub-orbital launches or flights that don't go high enough to enter space. At SaxaVord, full orbital launches are anticipated to begin in 2025.
Frank and Debbie Strang are co-owners of the old RAF radar station, SaxaVord Spaceport. When they first purchased the property 15 years ago, they intended to develop it as an ecotourism destination. According to Mr. Strang, the license's issuance was "historic".
"Our team is very proud that the government has entrusted us with operating a complex, multi-disciplinary and multi-launch spaceport, and we all take this responsibility very seriously," he said. "There is much to do still, but this is a fantastic way to end the year and head into Christmas."
The UK space industry is entering a new chapter with the license that the CAA granted to SaxaVord, according to Tim Johnson, director of space regulation. This is the start of a new era for UK spaceflight, as Scotland may soon be the launchpad launching satellites into orbit. Per Johnson, they are working hard to ensure that space operations in the UK are sustainable and safe for everyone.
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Andøya Spaceport Opened Last Month
On Nov. 2, H.R.H. Crown Prince Haakon held a formal ceremony to inaugurate Europe's first spaceport. Andøya Spaceport contains the spaceport. It is situated on Nordmela, Norway's Andøya island.
It will serve as the launchpad for Isar Aerospace, a European provider of launch services. As such, the launch of Andøya Spaceport marks a major milestone in the growth of Isar Aerospace toward the launchpad.
"The opening of the spaceport on Andøya island marks an important milestone for Norway, European New Space industry, and our partnership with Isar Aerospace," President of Andøya Spaceport, Ingun Berget, said in the statement. "This enables us to have the first satellite launches ever from European soil to take place from Andøya."
During its first test flight, the company's two-stage launch vehicle, Spectrum, will use the spaceport as a launchpad. Andøya Spaceport will include numerous launchpads for small- to medium-sized satellite launches when it is finished building. Nevertheless, the first launchpad is built to Isar Aerospace's specifications and is earmarked for their use, together with a mission control center and payload assembly facilities.
The CEO and co-founder of Isar Aerospace, Daniel Metzler, reiterated Berget's sentiments toward commemorating the recent achievement. He considers the actions performed by Norway, the Andøya region, and Isar Aerospace to be a major step towards space exploration. He claims that they have been working on building a rocket for the past five years to address important problems facing the European space sector.
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