Highland community ‘very deflated’ as rocket firm vows no spaceport launches until at least 2028

Dorothy Pritchard on the Moine near the proposed Spaceport.

Dorothy Pritchard, chair of Melness Crofters Estate. Picture: John Devlin.

By Alison Campsie,
Published by The Scotsman, 24 January 2025

AHighland community said it has been left “very deflated” after a rocket firm confirmed no launches would be made at the Sutherland Spaceport until 2028 at the earliest.

Orbex made the sudden announcement mid-last month that it would be “pausing” development of the Sutherland site to focus on production of new small to mid-range rockets and a new launcher, which would be tested at its once-rival Saxa Vord in Shetland instead.

The decision generated shockwaves throughout the Sutherland community. The Melness Crofters Estate worked voluntarily for eight years to get the spaceport up and running on its land in a bid to boost the local economy, create 40 jobs and tackle depopulation.

At a meeting in Tongue this week, Orbex confirmed there would be no launches in Sutherland until 2028 at the earliest. Work to complete the site would begin in 2027 on that basis, the firm said. The timeline has been described as “unacceptable” by Caithness Chamber of Commerce.

Dorothy Pritchard, chair of Melness Crofters Estate, said Orbex must relinquish their sub-lease on the spaceport land and let another company come in to finish the development. A number of firms are interested in the site, it is understood.

Ms Pritchard said: “Orbex are planning a mothballing of the site until a minimum of 2027 and really the way they described it, it could go on and on and on indefinitely

“We feel very deflated. I think our community here has been betrayed, not just in Melness, but right across to Caithness.”

Melness Crofters will continue to receive £70,000 a year rent for the land, which is sub-leased through Highlands and Islands Enterprise to Orbex.

Ms Pritchard said: “We want them to relinquish their sub-lease as there are people interested in taking that site over and finishing it as there is money in it commercially. So why don’t they allow that to happen?”

Orbex took on the construction and operation of Sutherland Spaceport in 2022 and in April 2023 signed a £6.5m grant agreement with Highlands and Islands Enterprise to support construction of the site.

To date, Orbex has received £2.3m of this funding.

Trudy Morris, chief executive of Caithness Chamber of Commerce, said it was “unacceptable” that it would take at least three years for the Sutherland site to become operational.

Ms Morris said: “It is unacceptable that a site is sitting there half finished and promises made. We are looking for the economic benefits to the community, about retaining young people and attracting other space-related activity to the area. It is a fragile area and depopulation is an issue.

“These dates of 2027 and 2028 are if everything went to plan, financially and technically. They haven’t had the first launch of their rocket yet.

“Key representatives were in agreement at the meeting that even three years is too long for that site to sit there. We will be pushing Orbex, Highlands and Islands Enterprise and Scottish Government to find a solution to this.”

In a statement, Orbex said allowing another operator to sub-let would introduce “significant complexities and cost” into the company’s business plan without offering “substantial long-term benefits beyond addressing a medium-term gap”.

Orbex added: “We believe such a deviation would be detrimental to Orbex’s long-term success and, consequently, to the broader success of the space industry in the north of Scotland. “

Phil Chambers, chief executive of Orbex, said: “We recognise that the decision to pause the construction of Sutherland Spaceport has frustrated members of the community liaison group and so it was extremely important to us to hear from the group directly and to answer their questions.

“The extraordinary meeting gave us the opportunity to explain Orbex’s long-term strategy and provide clarity on the steps we are taking so that Sutherland Spaceport becomes the home of Orbex Prime at the right time.”

See: Original Article