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Thread: Firm behind Sutherland spaceport to open base in Moray

  1. #1

    Default Firm behind Sutherland spaceport to open base in Moray

    Good news on the Sutherland spaceport?

    https://www.pressandjournal.co.uk/fp/news/moray/1673017/firm-behind-sutherland-spaceport-to-open-base-in-moray/


    Probably yes, but why open their base in Forres? Is (say) Thurso too far from the south? Maybe, but Forres is almost as far from the Deep South.

    Is Forres merely a compromise or do they want to tap into local RAF expertise?

  2. #2
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    The company gave the reasons as -

    "The Moray economy is rich in aviation, technology and advanced engineering skills, stemming from the RAF presence and of course the energy sector. The Enterprise Park Forres is already home to a cluster of technology companies. We very much welcome Orbex to the Park and look forward to the company becoming part of that growing cluster."

  3. #3

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    That’s interesting, thanks. If it was a compromise then it was a plausible compromise. Do you know if anyone or any organisation attempted to entice them to Caithness? Any dangling of post-Dounreay expertise and workforce?

    I wonder how they plan to transport their rockets to the launch site.
    Last edited by aqua; 24-Feb-19 at 14:48.

  4. #4
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    Quote Originally Posted by aqua View Post
    That’s interesting, thanks. If it was a compromise then it was a plausible compromise. Do you know if anyone or any organisation attempted to entice them to Caithness? Any dangling of post-Dounreay expertise and workforce?

    I wonder how they plan to transport their rockets to the launch site.
    I would think it will be fairly straight forward as the rockets are not huge. Thye can probably go on the back of a standard trailer. They will be no where near the size of wind turbine parts. Orbex said "For example, the rocket will have a 1.3-meter-wide payload fairing, which is comparable to Rocket Lab's Electron vehicle, which has a 1.2-meter payload fairing. The rocket will be capable of delivering up to 150kg to a Sun-synchronous orbit at 500km."

    Competition is making for a race to get it done as per - "Orbex is targeting 2021 for its first flight, and the UK says it is seeking its first orbital launch from Scotland in the early 2020s. It seems probable that Orbex and the UK will have to meet these deadlines if it is to compete with emerging launch sites in New Zealand, Alaska, and elsewhere in the increasingly heated race to deliver small satellites into space."

    Roy Kirk who is heading the project for HIE would probably have discussed the possibilities of site location including Caithness but in the end the company would have the final say on the area they thought best suited them.
    Last edited by Bill Fernie; 25-Feb-19 at 10:57.

  5. #5

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    I read somewhere that the rockets are 17 metres long and will be taken to the launch site by road.

    Thanks for the further insight. I wonder if the company seriously considered siting their construction site in Caithness.

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