onstruction has begun on a spaceport on the northern coast of the British mainland, which plans to host as much as 12 rocket launches into house every year.

The Sutherland Spaceport, situated on the A’Mhoine peninsula, shall be “home” to the rocket firm Orbex.

The Forres-based firm goals to make use of the positioning to launch satellites into orbit to fulfill world demand for business house providers.

However a rival spaceport situated on Unst – on the very north of the Shetland Isles – hosted a rocket engine check in April.

SaxaVord Spaceport was the check website of a rocket motor made by German firm HyImpulse, which hopes to hold out a suborbital launch there later this yr.

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The groundbreaking ceremony for the Sutherland Spaceport was attended by the Scottish Government’s Trade Minister Richard Lochhead.

Owners say it is going to be the primary carbon-neutral spaceport on the earth, as Orbex’s 19-metre lengthy Prime rocket will run on biofuel.

Public our bodies have invested £14.6 million within the Sutherland Spaceport.

Mr Lochhead mentioned: “It is an incredibly exciting time for the space sector, with the first orbital launch from UK soil expected to take place in Scotland later this year.

“Despite our relatively small country, Scotland plays a leading role in the space sector and with the global market projected to grow to £490 billion by 2030, we are well placed to become Europe’s leading space nation by 2030.”

He added: “As I told Parliament last week, the Scottish space sector is opening up new frontiers.”

With the development of Sutherland Spaceport below method, this is a crucial piece of the puzzle that may make the UK a contemporary house nation

Kristian von Bengtson, interim chief government of Orbex, mentioned: “Sutherland represents a new breed of spaceport, for a new breed of rocket.

“This is 21st century, agile spaceflight with sustainability at its core.

“With the construction of Sutherland Spaceport under way, this is an important piece of the puzzle that will make the UK a modern space nation.

“Just as importantly, we’re hopefully also setting the tone for how business can be a force for good, creating jobs and opportunities while minimising the impact upon the environment.”