SCOTLAND’S space sector has grown rapidly in recent years, becoming an important industry and a “globally significant” player.
This is according to claims made by Scottish Government business minister Richard Lochhead at the Space-Comm Expo Scotland in Glasgow – the largest space industry expo ever held north of the border.
The sector received a welcome boost at the expo yesterday, as the UK Space Agency announced that Scottish universities would receive £4.6m in funding to advance satellite and space pollution research.
Lochhead has been joined by more than 2,300 delegates, 100 speakers and 80 exhibitors attending the expo at Glasgow’s SEC Campus.
Scotland’s space sector has seen precipitous growth in recent years, with space organisations up 60% and income from these businesses up 100% over a decade.
Construction of the SaxaVord spaceport in Shetland, which will contain capacity for three launch pads, is nearing completion, while the opening of others in Sutherland and North Uist are further down the line.
The space sector in Scotland generates almost £400m in income and employs more than 7,000 people across the country.
Many of those people work at universities, in departments which develop cutting-edge space technologies.
The new funding announced by the UK Space Agency has been described as a “vote of confidence” in these researchers and the Scottish Space Agency – which makes up a fifth of total jobs in the UK space sector.
Dr Natasha Nicholson, CEO of Space Scotland said: “This investment from the UK Space Agency is a powerful vote of confidence in Scotland’s role at the forefront of UK space innovation.
“These projects demonstrate the strength of our research base and the talent driving advancements in secure communications, environmental monitoring, and resilient navigation — technologies that will shape the future of global space infrastructure.
“We are especially pleased to see dedicated support for Scotland’s space cluster.
“This funding will help us deepen partnerships across industry, academia and government, accelerate commercial opportunities, and ensure that Scotland continues to deliver meaningful impact for the UK’s economy, sustainability goals and national resilience.
“Space Scotland looks forward to working with our partners to turn this momentum into long-term growth for the entire sector.”
£3.7m worth of funding from the UK Space Agency’s National Space Innovation Programme (NSIP) will be split between research units at Heriot-Watt University, the University of Edinburgh, the University of Strathclyde.
Meanwhile, The OXYGEN project at the University of Glasgow was awarded £410,000 through the UK Space Agency’s International Bilateral Fund to make lunar exploration more sustainable.
The remaining £350,000 will go to Space Scotland to strengthen capabilities in Earth Observation and In-Orbit Servicing and Manufacturing (ISAM).
The SaxaVord spaceport in Shetland, which is planning its inaugural launch soon, became the first spaceport to receive a license for vertical rocket launches this year.
This news of renewed investment left Richard Lochhead enthused about the future of Scotland’s space sector.
In a statement, he said: “Space is one of Scotland’s greatest economic opportunities and a new chapter in our long tradition of world class innovation.
“The pace of change has been astonishing. Scotland’s space sector generates almost £400m in income and employs more than 7,000 people.
“If you track the rate of growth across nearly a decade – with space organisations up by 60% and a 100% increase in income – you are not simply talking about growth, you are talking about acceleration.”
He added: “We now have the UK’s first licensed space port and are moving towards its first orbital launch.
“To colleagues joining us here from overseas – if you are looking to grow in Europe, Scotland is open.
“If you are looking for talent and excellence, you will find them here.
“We are not just an emerging space nation, we are one of the best places in Europe to locate, invest and grow.”
The Space-Comm Scotland Expo in Glasgow kicked off yesterday and continued throughout today.
