Spaceport plan rockets forward
SO FAR the closest Kintyre has got to space is a piece of jewellery made in Carradale hanging round astronaut Tim Peake’s neck.
It could all change if Discover Space UK (DSUK), the spaceport arm of Machrihanish Airbase Community Company, is successful in gaining a licence to launch and operate a spacecraft, satellite or manage activities in outer space.
DSUK chairman Tom Millar told the Courier that in the next couple of weeks it hopes to arrange meetings with the UK Space Agency to discuss the detail of the licensing regime.
Previously the preferred UK government method of picking a spaceport location was through a bidding battle but, under the Outer Space Act 1986, it will become a licensing procedure.
Mr Millar added: ‘There are private space companies which are prepared to sign memorandums of agreement with us and there will be announcements.’
Glasgow Prestwick, the Scottish Governmentowned rival, on Tuesday announced through its space arm, Orbital Access Limited, that it had signed a memorandum of understanding with US-manned space launch vehicle designer XCOR Aerospace.
Announcing the strategic collaboration at Farnborough International Airshow, Orbital Access CEO Stuart McIntyre set out the vision for a global launch service using the XCOR Lynx spacecraft. He said: ‘The Lynx rep- resents a highly-versatile manned spacecraft to ser- vice space research mis- sions in zero gravity, and provide academics and industry with a unique and responsive research environment.
‘It can also support leisure sub-orbital flights. This will complement our satellite launch systems, which are in development, and complete the suite of launch services Orbital Access will be offering at spaceports globally.’
A national newspaper claimed, on Wednesday, that the agreement signed by Prestwick’s operating company, Orbital Access Limited, was moving the former airport closer to launching manned spaceflights.
A message on Twitter by Argyll and the Isles retweeted the Orbital Access story and said: ‘Hope this doesn’t hinder Campbeltown’s chance in the space race.’
DSUK replied: ‘We certainly don’t think so!’