Minister to tell of Scotland’s ambition to be ‘Europe’s leading space nation’

The innovation minister will tell a group of potential investors of Scotland’s plan to become “Europe’s leading space nation”.

Richard Lochhead is due to set out the country’s ambitions at the UK Space Agency’s Space Investment Forum in Edinburgh on Tuesday.

He says businesses could employ around 20,000 people within a decade across various industries, including manufacturing small satellites and supporting rocket launches.

It comes as SaxaVord Spaceport in Shetland is to host the UK’s first vertical launch later this year.

Ahead of the meeting, Mr Lochhead said: “We have big ambitions to be Europe’s leading space nation.

“The sector could be worth £4 billion and employ 20,000 people, that’s why space is one of the key industries the Scottish Government has pinpointed as an economic priority.

“Recent developments mean we are, quite genuinely, on the cusp of something new and exhilarating.

“We are ideally located for launching satellites into orbit and projects at SaxaVord and Sutherland are progressing well.”

He added: “Our biggest city, Glasgow, hosts a thriving satellite manufacturing hub and our space supply chain is working flat out to grasp the transformational opportunities presented.

“These range from developing zero emissions rocket launches to using data generated from space to tackle climate change.

“Space opens a window that allows mankind to observe our world with ever greater clarity.

“Scotland has set some of the most ambitious targets for cutting emissions anywhere. The space industry can propel our green and growing economy to new heights.”