Orbex has announced that construction has begun at Sutherland Spaceport, which is set to become the first vertical launch site to be built on the UK mainland.
Located on the north coast of Scotland, it will be the 'home' spaceport of Forres-based rocket and launch services company, which plans to launch up to 12 orbital rockets per year for the deployment of satellites.
A ceremony to mark the start of construction was attended by Minister for Small Business, Innovation and Trade Richard Lochhead, UK Space Agency deputy chief executive Ian Annett, Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) director of strategic projects David Oxley and Melness Crofters Estate chair Dorothy Pritchard, as well as many local representatives that have supported the development over the years.
