UK Government Invests £30m in Shetland Spaceport
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Shetland spaceport project secures £30m of UK government investment
Image source: SaxaVord Spaceport
By Cameron Angus-Mackay, BBC Scotland News
Reporting from Lerwick, Shetland
Published 8 September 2026, 06:31 BST | Updated 5 minutes ago
The UK government has announced a £30 million investment in SaxaVord Spaceport on Shetland as part of a new national space strategy. A spaceport spokesperson described the funding as a "hugely significant" boost, expected to unlock an additional £30m from private investors.
Several companies aim to utilize SaxaVord, located at the northernmost point of the UK in Unst, as a launch site for small commercial rockets. A government spokesperson emphasized the importance of space as a "critical domain" for ensuring national security.
SaxaVord, the UK's first fully-licensed spaceport, has regulatory approval for up to 30 rocket launches annually. The company plans to use the £60m public-private investment package to construct a second hangar and two additional launchpads, as stated by CEO Scott Hammond.
Key Points:
- Two German companies, Rocket Factory Augsburg (RFA) and HyImpulse Technologies GmbH, have signed launch agreements with SaxaVord.
- RFA aims for its first vertical orbital test flight from UK soil, while HyImpulse plans to launch its SR75 suborbital vehicle this year.
- The £30m investment is expected to create jobs and reduce reliance on foreign countries for satellite launches.
- Space Scotland's Derek Harris expressed optimism about the project, noting that delays are common in space technology development.