Richard Lochhead: ‘We want to position Scotland as a vital destination for space launch activity’

Business minister Richard Lochhead has set out Scotland’s ambition to become a hotspot for space launch activity, claiming the sector is the “fastest growing” in the country.

In his address to the Space-Comm Expo in Glasgow, where cross-government leaders and industry experts are discussing the commercial future of the space industry, Lochhead told delegates that launch activity is the “last piece” for Scotland to have “end-to-end capability” in the sector.

“We always have to remember that there's a lot of competition out there, so we need to collaborate and compete, and we just have to look at all the rewards that are up there,” he said.
“In Scotland, launch is the last piece of that value chain. Not only is it our ambition to support the industry to develop our manufacturing capability and expand our downstream presence, but we also want to position Scotland as a vital destination for launch activity."

He added: “I have every confidence that very soon, we will have that end-to-end capability here in Scotland.”

Currently, Scotland is home to five of the seven spaceports being developed across the UK, with Glasgow building more satellites than any other place in Europe.

In December, SaxaVord spaceport in Shetland became the UK’s first spaceport to secure a licence for vertical launches.

The first launch was set to take place later this year, but UK Space chief executive Paul Bate confirmed to delegates today that the team is now “working towards” taking off next year.

Lochhead then pointed out space’s role in the journey to economic recovery and its key contribution to making Scotland “one of the most innovative small nations by the end of this decade”.

“Space is no longer limited to scientific interest,” he said. “Space is shaping our society, how we live, and how we work, and improving our understanding of this world and indeed other worlds as well. Space plays an increasingly important role in defence and security, which, given today's geopolitics, is now attracting billions of dollars in additional investment as well.”

He added: “I'm responsible for many different sectors of the Scottish economy with my ministry. But when I look at space, I see perhaps the fastest-growing Scotland. I see something really exciting. I see something from potential.”

Lochhead also highlighted the government’s role in driving the sector’s growth.

“A clear message that's come home to roost with me, and I hope we can all share, is that space and the future of space is not just about space alone,” he said. “It's about many sectors, many skillsets and policies for both public and private sectors.”

He continued: “The space and the data we get from above are a means to help generate solutions for public sector problems as well and that's why it's really important. The government is a customer. When government is a customer, it also serves as a valuable sign to the investor community looking for that reassurance and making investment decisions.”

The two-day event is one of the biggest in the UK’s space industry and will hear from international space leaders spanning from Malaysia to Germany and Sweden.

Scottish Secretary Ian Murray is expected to address delegates tomorrow.