Sutherland Spaceport, also known as Space Hub Sutherland or UK Vertical Launch (UKVL) Sutherland, is a planned, commercially operated spaceport located in Sutherland, Scotland. It aims to be one of the first vertical launch-capable spaceports in the United Kingdom, with Orbex selected to oversee construction, manage the site, and launch its Orbex Prime rocket. Sutherland Spaceport is designed to be a carbon-neutral spaceport for launching small satellites into polar and sun-synchronous orbits.
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Skyrora expressed interest in acquiring select Orbex assets, including the Sutherland Spaceport in northern Scotland.
Sutherland Spaceport is one of the few licensed launch facilities in Europe capable of reaching polar and sun-synchronous orbits.
Highlands and Islands Enterprise and the Scottish Government together contributed a combined £9 million to the Sutherland spaceport project.
Orbex paused construction of the Sutherland spaceport in December 2024 and redirected funding to development of its Proxima rocket.
Sutherland spaceport is located on the northern tip of Scotland.
Skyrora expressed interest in taking over the lease for the Sutherland spaceport earlier in February 2026.
The Sutherland spaceport project received £2.5 million in funding from the UK government in 2018.
The Sutherland spaceport project received £3 million from the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority in 2023.
Orbex appointed administrators and laid off its workforce, resulting in abandonment of its role in the Sutherland spaceport project.
The Melness Crofters Estate owns the land leased to Orbex for the Sutherland spaceport and sought new partners to deliver the spaceport in late February 2026.
Orbex began construction of the Sutherland Spaceport on Scotland's north coast in 2023, paused construction at the end of 2024, and decided to shift its launch operations to SaxaVord in the Shetland Islands.
Skyrora, based in Glasgow, intends to explore the purchase of select Orbex assets, including the Sutherland Spaceport, which could see it invest up to £10 million ($13.6 million).
Dorothy Pritchard is Chairwoman of Melness Crofters Estate and Melness Crofters Estate remains fully committed to a Sutherland Spaceport.
Skyrora intends to explore the purchase of select Orbex assets, including the Sutherland Spaceport.
Skyrora has expressed interest in acquiring the Sutherland spaceport construction project that Orbex had been managing.
Orbex’s work on the Sutherland spaceport in Scotland, which Orbex had been carrying out, was halted in 2024.
Orbex paused construction of Sutherland Spaceport to free up resources for development of its Proxima medium-lift rocket.
Skyrora intends to explore the purchase of select Orbex assets, including Sutherland Spaceport.
Skyrora expressed interest in investing up to £10 million (€11.5 million) to acquire select Orbex assets, potentially including the Sutherland Spaceport in northern Scotland.
Skyrora's potential acquisition of Orbex assets could include the Sutherland Spaceport on Scotland’s northern coast.