The Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) is in talks with four potential spaceport partners in an effort to capture a share of the £25bn global spaceflight launch market.
The UK Government has invited bids from potential spaceport launch sites and space vehicle system operators to establish the UK’s first commercial Spaceport by 2020.
Up to £10m is available to make the UK the first place in Europe where commercial space operators can launch small satellites into orbit and offer spaceplane flights for science and tourism.
The LEP is leading Cornwall’s bid to establish Spaceport Cornwall across two sites at Cornwall Airport Newquay and Goonhilly Earth Station. Together they offer a unique combination of horizontal launch, monitoring and tracking facilities.
Sandra Rothwell, chief executive of the Cornwall and Isles of Scilly LEP, said: “Our aim is to create a high value space cluster around our Aerohub Enterprise Zone sites at Cornwall Airport Newquay and Goonhilly Earth Station.
“We are the only site able to offer low cost access to space by horizontal launch systems in the UK by 2020, with a complete end-to-end launch and tracking capability that will be internationally competitive. With the right support, working with industry and other LEPs, we are offering an operational spaceport to the UK Space Agency in the next three years, delivering a key part of the Government’s national space policy and Industrial Strategy ambitions.”
Cornwall’s bid seeks up to £10 million of investment to upgrade facilities at Cornwall Airport Newquay to make Spaceport Cornwall a reality. This would include a Spaceplane Systems Integration Facility comprising a hangar and cleanrooms to cater for satellite and future flight technologies.
The bid is being co-ordinated by Aerohub Enterprise Zone Manager Miles Carden at Cornwall Airport Newquay, who said: “The combination of Cornwall Airport Newquay and Goonhilly is very attractive to space vehicle operators which is why there is international interest in being part of our Spaceport Cornwall bid.
“We’re building on our existing assets to offer a complete and competitive launch solution for the commercial space industry, providing low cost access to space in an industry that is expected to be worth £25bn by 2020.”