Sutherland spaceport

The facility would be operated by a commercial Launch Pad Operator, who have yet to be appointed. The proposed spaceport is expected to employ some 40 people directly and another 400 indirectly. It will be built through the local development agency, the Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE).[3][4][5]

The submitted planning application shows that the spaceport will host a planned new rocket called Prime by the startup company Orbex.[2][1] The facility was originally planned to be shared by both Orbex and Lockheed Martin, and to potentially use two separate launch pads, as both rockets use different propellants. However, the final planning application includes only one launch pad.[1]

The location at A' Mhòine peninsula was selected over two other Highland, Scotland locations: Unst, Shetland, and North Uist, Western Isles. The location would be useful for launching small satellites to polar orbit and Sun-synchronous orbit.[1] The spaceport site is 35 miles (56 km) from the closed Dounreay nuclear research reactor. The nearest community to the spaceport is the crofting township of Talmine, alongside the Kyle of Tongue, with a population of 200.[2][6]

The project is officially called UKVL Sutherland.[7] The proposed site was announced at the 2018 Farnborough Air Show in July, and if accepted, it is planned to be completed by 2020.[8][2] There is mixed support amongst the local crofters. In November 2018, the Melness Crofters Estate (MCE) voted on whether to continue discussions about the proposal. Twenty-seven votes were cast in favour, with eighteen against and one spoiled ballot.[7]