The UK Space Agency has backed a healthcare drone start-up founded by NHS staff, to help in the response to Covid-19. UK Space Agency
The UK Space Agency has backed a healthcare drone start-up founded by NHS staff, to help in the response to Covid-19. UK Space Agency
The UK Space Agency has backed a healthcare drone start-up founded by NHS staff, to help in the response to Covid-19. UK Space Agency
The UK Space Agency has backed a healthcare drone start-up founded by NHS staff, to help in the response to Covid-19. UK Space Agency

Launch site built in Scotland in race to send first rocket into space from UK


Paul Peachey
  • English
  • Arabic

The first vertical rocket launch from UK territory has moved a step closer with a new test site built in northern Scotland.

The launch pad has been installed in Kinloss, Moray, by private space company Orbex, one of those vying to send the UK’s first rocket into low Earth orbit this year.

A space race is under way with two Scottish sites leading the contest to fire the first rocket from Britain as part of broader ambitions to become the leading provider of commercial small satellite launches in Europe by 2030.

The Orbex Prime rocket will eventually launch from a site 100 kilometres north of Kinloss, in Sutherland near Scotland’s northern coast, and is designed to carry small satellites weighing around 150 kilograms.

The first vertical take-off from a traditional launch pad in the UK is likely to be from the site in Sutherland or one in the Shetland Islands, where industry leader Lockheed Martin has based its UK launch operations.

Scotland has proved popular with aerospace companies because of its sparsely populated northern areas and its easy-to-reach polar orbits, essential for satellites observing the Earth.

Orbex said its test launch pad, weighing more than 40 tonnes, is the first platform to be built in 50 years in the UK.

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It can be dismantled and taken by road to Sutherland to be used for the first launch, though no decision has yet been taken.

Orbex applied for a launch licence from authorities in February but declined to say when it was hoping to launch its first rocket.

"This going to be a sustainable business, it's not just about the first to launch," said an Orbex spokesman.

Construction at the Sutherland site, owned by a Scottish government development agency, is expected to start this year.

A major hurdle was cleared for the space port last year when Scotland's largest landowner lost a legal bid to halt development of the site.

Danish billionaire Anders Povlsen, who owns the majority stake in the clothing website Asos, said the development could be damaging to local wildlife but his challenge was rejected.

The site in Shetland used by Lockheed Martin has yet to receive planning permission for its three proposed launch pads and associated infrastructure.

More than 4,800 satellites are currently in space with nearly two thirds of those put into orbit by the United States, according to a database compiled by the Union of Concerned Scientists.

The fast-growing space race and demands for services on Earth means that by 2028 four times more satellites than in the past decade will be launched with the vast majority small or microcraft.

European space companies rely mostly on Russia's site in Kazakhstan, French Guiana in South America and the US for launches.

UK Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng said it was hoped the first horizontal launch from a modified plane on UK soil would take place this summer in Newquay, south-west England.

Know before you go
  • Jebel Akhdar is a two-hour drive from Muscat airport or a six-hour drive from Dubai. It’s impossible to visit by car unless you have a 4x4. Phone ahead to the hotel to arrange a transfer.
  • If you’re driving, make sure your insurance covers Oman.
  • By air: Budget airlines Air Arabia, Flydubai and SalamAir offer direct routes to Muscat from the UAE.
  • Tourists from the Emirates (UAE nationals not included) must apply for an Omani visa online before arrival at evisa.rop.gov.om. The process typically takes several days.
  • Flash floods are probable due to the terrain and a lack of drainage. Always check the weather before venturing into any canyons or other remote areas and identify a plan of escape that includes high ground, shelter and parking where your car won’t be overtaken by sudden downpours.

 

COMPANY PROFILE

Company: Bidzi

● Started: 2024

● Founders: Akshay Dosaj and Asif Rashid

● Based: Dubai, UAE

● Industry: M&A

● Funding size: Bootstrapped

● No of employees: Nine

Profile

Company: Justmop.com

Date started: December 2015

Founders: Kerem Kuyucu and Cagatay Ozcan

Sector: Technology and home services

Based: Jumeirah Lake Towers, Dubai

Size: 55 employees and 100,000 cleaning requests a month

Funding:  The company’s investors include Collective Spark, Faith Capital Holding, Oak Capital, VentureFriends, and 500 Startups. 

England World Cup squad

Eoin Morgan (capt), Moeen Ali, Jofra Archer, Jonny Bairstow, Jos Buttler (wkt), Tom Curran, Liam Dawson, Liam Plunkett, Adil Rashid, Joe Root, Jason Roy, Ben Stokes, James Vince, Chris Woakes, Mark Wood

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Super lightweight:
Flavio Serafin (BRA) bt Mohammad Al Khatib (JOR)

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Mohammad Fakhreddine (LEB) bt Christofer Silva (BRA)

Middleweight:
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Khamzat Chimaev (SWE) bt Mzwandile Hlongwa (RSA)

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Jetour T1 specs

Engine: 2-litre turbocharged

Power: 254hp

Torque: 390Nm

Price: From Dh126,000

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The Settlers

Director: Louis Theroux

Starring: Daniella Weiss, Ari Abramowitz

Rating: 5/5

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Tips to stay safe during hot weather
  • Stay hydrated: Drink plenty of fluids, especially water. Avoid alcohol and caffeine, which can increase dehydration.
  • Seek cool environments: Use air conditioning, fans, or visit community spaces with climate control.
  • Limit outdoor activities: Avoid strenuous activity during peak heat. If outside, seek shade and wear a wide-brimmed hat.
  • Dress appropriately: Wear lightweight, loose and light-coloured clothing to facilitate heat loss.
  • Check on vulnerable people: Regularly check in on elderly neighbours, young children and those with health conditions.
  • Home adaptations: Use blinds or curtains to block sunlight, avoid using ovens or stoves, and ventilate living spaces during cooler hours.
  • Recognise heat illness: Learn the signs of heat exhaustion and heat stroke (dizziness, confusion, rapid pulse, nausea), and seek medical attention if symptoms occur.

Bareilly Ki Barfi
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Starring: Kriti Sanon, Ayushmann Khurrana, Rajkummar Rao
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Gothia Cup 2025

4,872 matches 

1,942 teams

116 pitches

76 nations

26 UAE teams

15 Lebanese teams

2 Kuwaiti teams

Living in...

This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.

Updated: February 16, 2022, 4:55 PM