Snowdonia makes a bid to join the space age in the near future
Snowdonia’s coastal location and clear airspace make it a frontrunner in the race to host the UK’s first spaceport, according to a leading aerospace industry representative.
Aerospace Wales chief executive John Whalley made the claim at a Space Agency conference in London recently, where he outlined the case to make the Snowdonia Aerospace Centre (SAC) at Llanbedr airfield in Gwynedd the base for spaceplanes to carry tourists into orbit.
Llanbedr airfield was shortlisted as a location for a UK spaceport by the Government in 2015. Last year the Government scrapped the competition to choose a site and instead invited locations to apply for a licence.
The other locations in the running are Stornoway, Kinloss, Lossiemouth, Leuchars, Glasgow and Campbeltown, which are all in Scotland, and Newquay in Cornwall.
Joint enterprises have been invited to bid for UK Space Agency grants worth £10m to help develop spaceflight in the UK. The closing date is April 28.
Spaceports could also be used as a launching site for Britain’s growing small satellite sector, as well as for space tourism.
The UK Government aims to capture 10% of the world’s space market by 2030.
There are hopes that an aerospace centre at Llanbedr would generate £4.2m of income and create 170 jobs if the bid is successful.
Snowdonia Aerospace Centre, Aerospace Wales, QinetiQ and the Welsh Government are all backing Llanbedr’s bid.
Aerospace Wales chief Mr Whalley made a pitch for the former RAF training centre at a Launch UK conference, hosted by the Royal Aeronautical Society in February.
He said: “Our coastal location, unrivalled segregated airspace – unique in the UK – and low level of aircraft movements make Snowdonia Aerospace Centre a very strong contender for a UK spaceport.
“It meets all the key criteria and its relatively central location in the UK also makes it the most easily accessible to organisations across the whole of the UK.”
SAC chief executive Lee Paul added: “Completing the first phase of investment has prepared us for the future and we hope that new developments in 2017 and beyond will mean that Snowdonia Aerospace Centre is even more appealing to worldwide investment.”
Plans to improve the road access to the airfield will be shortly submitted by Gwynedd Council to Snowdonia National Park Authority.
The centre is also a world-class centre for emerging technologies, including drones (remotely piloted air systems).
Snowdonia Enterprise Zone chairman Dr John Idris Jones added: “Boosted by its enterprise zone status, Snowdonia Aerospace Centre is able to compete on a global stage by making the most of its unique characteristics.
“It’s ticking all the boxes and seems the perfect low-cost location for spaceplane operations.”
The event coincided with the launch of the Spaceflight Bill, which was delivered to the House of Commons and the House of Lords to facilitate and regulate commercial spaceflight.
Three years ago, members of Cymdeithas y Cymod (Fellowship of Reconciliation) entered Llanbedr airfield and painted “No Death Drones” on the runway in a protest against plans to develop UAVs (unmanned aerial vehicles).