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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Business
Donna Ferguson

Shetland island to house UK’s first vertical rocket launch spaceport

Illustration of rocket taking off
An illustration of a rocket taking off from the SaxaVord spaceport on Unst. Photograph: SaxaVord UK Spaceport/PA

For centuries, Unst has been famous for its richly varied wildlife, pristine beaches and unspoilt sea views. Now the remote Shetland island is leading Britain into space.

A former RAF base on a remote peninsula of the island has become the UK’s first licensed spaceport for vertical rocket launches. It will allow up to 30 satellites and other payloads to be launched into commercially valuable polar, sun-synchronous orbits, which are in high demand from satellite operators for communications and Earth observation.

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