It’s all systems go as Scotland’s cities are benefitting from increased business and investment opportunities in the space industry.
In Edinburgh, the firm Celestia UK has chosen the city as its base to design and make a new generation of satellite communications systems.
The business has two sites in the city at the Heriot-Watt University Research Park and it has benefited from access to world-class facilities and lots of highly skilled workers – as well as practical and financial support from Scottish Enterprise and Scottish Development International.
For Celestia UK, Scotland is an important location for future growth. Our nation’s space sector is growing faster than anywhere in Europe and now hosts more than 130 space companies, many of these international businesses.
And there’s much more to come. The Scottish space sector is predicted to reach a value of £4 billion by 2030, aided by the UK Space Agency working with the Scottish Government to support vertical and horizontal launch spaceports across Scotland.
Being able to tie in with Heriot-Watt University was important
The university hosts the largest antenna engineering group of its kind in Scotland and one of the largest in the UK. We now have two premises in its research park – one where we have our design and operational capability, and the other where we do our assembly and systems testing.
Being close to the university has helped us grow. It’s given us access to its cutting-edge facilities and technical expertise – plus skilled, highly trained graduates.
Malachy Devlin, CEO of Celestia UK.
Meanwhile, Glasgow produces more satellites than anywhere else on the continent. And things have certainly taken off since Clyde Space built Scotland’s first satellite in February 2013.
As well as Clyde Space, Glasgow is also home to the firm Alba Orbital, as well as the US firm Spire. And both Glasgow and Strathclyde universities are home to space-related innovation. Near the city, launch vehicle manufacturer Skyrora has set up a plant and HQ in East Kilbride.
Meanwhile in Dundee, STAR-Dundee is a firm that is busy developing technology which is used on board spacecraft. It boasts world-class staff and research facilities and started life in 2002 as part of the Space Technology Centre at Dundee University.
And in Inverness, the city is firmly at the heart of plans for a spaceport that is being built in Sutherland. Up to 12 launches a year will take place from the site. The rocket launches are the work of Forres-based rockets manufacturer Orbex
With the construction of Sutherland Spaceport under way, this is an important piece of the puzzle that will make the UK a modern space nation.
Just as importantly, we’re hopefully also setting the tone for how business can be a force for good, creating jobs and opportunities while minimising the impact upon the environment.
Orbex chief executive Kristian von Bengtson
It’s clear that the future is bright for Scotland’s space sector. A UK Space Industry report showed that income from the space industry grew to £180 million in 202, with 8,568 people now working in the sector.
So the sky really is the limit for business and investment opportunities. And Scotland’s cities can reap the rewards.
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