Shetland Spaceport Secures £30m UK Government Investment
Rocket Factory Augsburg and HyImpulse Technologies have signed launch agreements backed by £30m in new government funding.
The Shetland spaceport project received a £30m investment from the UK government. Two German firms, Rocket Factory Augsburg and HyImpulse Technologies GmbH, have signed launch agreements to operate from the facility. Rocket Factory Augsburg aims for its first vertical orbital test flight from UK soil but paused plans in August after reporting an issue with its launch vehicle. A five-week launch window had been scheduled, though temporary traffic restrictions would be enforced if a flight occurred. HyImpulse Technologies GmbH intends to launch its second SR75 suborbital mission this year and recently secured over £43m of funding. Derek Harris, head of programmes at Space Scotland, stated the project timeline might slip into next year without viewing it as a failure. He emphasized that reliability and health and safety must take priority. Harris noted weather conditions such as rain and storms could also impact operations. He highlighted that while time and money will be required, the eventual benefits for Scotland and the UK will be significant.
