Call for council to approve plans for satellite monitoring station

A NASA scientist claims Scotland’s booming space industry will be “significantly weakened” if plans for a satellite monitoring facility in Perthshire are rejected.

In a letter to planners at Perth and Kinross Council, Dr Gene Carl Feldman has thrown his weight behind proposals for the facility at Errol airfield.

The Dundee University station, currently being decommissioned, has been recording and storing images of the planet since 1978.

Dr Feldman, writing in a personal capacity, said: “The Dundee staff and station has played a critical role in providing support during our ongoing commissioning of the recently launched and Scotland-built Seahawk Cubesat spacecraft that NASA is a partner in.

“Dundee’s extensive experience in satellite communications was called on in the early days after launch and just last week, they stepped in to help us successfully and quickly resolve a problem that we were having.

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It is my opinion that the Scottish space industry will be significantly weakened if this planning application is denied.

DR GENE CARL FELDMAN, NASA

“It is this expertise that along with the antenna station that they are proposing to construct, that will greatly benefit the newly emerging Scottish space industry.”

Dr Feldman added: “It is my opinion that the Scottish space industry will be significantly weakened if this planning application is denied and therefore I strongly encourage the council to grant it permission so that they can resume the important work that they have carried out for the benefit of humankind for so many years.”

The application is for the former Dundee Satellite Receiving Station’s (DSRS) move from its previous home atop one of Dundee University’s buildings in the city centre.

It is currently being decommissioned after a Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) funding cut of £338,000 forced the university to withdraw its support.

The warning comes as the Scottish space industry continues to grow at pace.

More satellites are built in Glasgow than anywhere else in Europe, and more than 80 UK space industry firms have headquarters located in Scotland, generating more than £140 million for the Scottish economy.

The UK’S first spaceport could also soon be built in Sutherland in the Scottish Highlands, which would be capable of launching rockets measuring around 60ft in length.