Airport gears up for spaceport success
Project moves forward as green light is given
Prestwick Airport stands “the best chance” of winning the UK’s space race, according to the team behind its bid.
Bosses leading the ambitious project have been given the green light to launch their gamechanging campaign.
It follows the confirmation that an official licensing process will be set up to name the winning candidate.
Prestwick, which has long been towards the head of the shortlist, will now attempt to convince the government it is worthy of hosting Europe’s answer to NASA.
Mike Stewart, the airport’s business development director, said: “We believe that we now stand the best chance of being the first UK operational spaceport.
“We already have much of the infrastructure needed in place and we would require a relatively small amount of investment to establish a space launch capability here.”
Stewart, who added that Prestwick has secured “a number of formal agreements with key UK and international partners,” said work would now proceed to establish links with “global suppliers and potential customers.”
And he added: “We will be working with our partners to ensure that we deliver something that isn’t only ground breaking for the UK and Europe but that will also be profitable and sustainable for the long term, for the benefit of Glasgow Prestwick Airport and the communities we serve.”
The government hopes to increase its space sector revenues from £ 12 billion to £ 40 billion by 2030.
The figure would account for around 10 per cent of the global space economy.
South Ayrshire Council leader Bill McIntosh, who chairs the Prestwick Aerospace Stakeholder Group, said: “Prestwick’s well- established relationships with industry and the drive and motivation that exist across the partnership mean we are already well out of the starter blocks.
“We can now direct our focus and attention on delivering a successful and viable business model that gets us across the finishing line and establishes a world- class spaceport on our doorstep.”
Central Ayrshire MP Philippa Whitford said Prestwick was in position as “one of the top three sites under consideration”.
She added: “Prestwick is the closest site to launch capability and our chances of developing that role commercially have vastly increased.”
And Ayr MSP John Scott said: “The groundwork had already been laid by the bid team and now it is imperative to push on for a successful result. “The sky is quite literally the limit.” Machrinhanish Airbase on the Kintyre peninsula is among the other sites lining up a bid.