UK spaceport

The UK Space Agency to allow spaceplane operations to take place by 2018. (external PDF)

Commercial SpacePort in A'Mhoine Peninsula Sutherland, Scotland.

The UK Space Agency expects to host first* UK 'Vertical Launch' spaceport on the A'Mhoine Peninsula in Sutherland has been chosen as the most suitable place from which to launch rockets vertically to put satellites into polar orbits, with a  goal to have launches as early as possible in the 2020s. The main contract went to the American aerospace giant Lockheed Martin that wants to use a modified the RocketLabs Electron rocket to Scotland, that currently flies out of New Zealand or a new rocket or by a rocket apparently in development by  Orbex.

There was also limited funding to see if another UK location can be used for Virgin Orbit's LauncherOne horizontal take off 747 based carrier. Prometheus-2 that tried to launch end of 2022. , Consisting of two UK/US military  Cubesats. That would have provided a test platform for monitoring radio signals including GPS and sophisticated imaging, Unfortunately LauncherOne failed. And in 2023  was the death nail for Virgin Orbit.

In July 2014 eight aerodromes have were shortlisted.

Campbeltown, Kinloss, Leuchars, Lossiemouth, Prestwick and Stornoway in Scotland and also Newquay, Cornwall, and Llanbedr, Gwynedd.

In March 2015 two airfields in the consultation, were rejected: RAF Lossiemouth and Kinloss Barracks in Scotland.

The main location criteria is the limit of danger and inconvenience to the general public, "That is why the six potentials listed are all on the coast: the spaceplanes could then operate out over water."

One of the candidates was Campbeltown Airport formerly RAF Machrihanish with a runway of 3,049 m in length had been certified to accept NASA's Space Shuttle should it had needed to make an emergency landing in Europe.

To be used to launch satellites into orbit and is also expected to be used by space tourism companies, such as Virgin Galactic and XCor, which will fly customers into space.

Unst  Shetland Islands

 SaxaVord spaceport at Lamba Ness, on the north east edge of Unst  in the Shetland Islands hopes to start launching rockets in 2022 with RS1 rocket made by California-based startup ABL Space Systems. To launch six CubeSats in orbit as part of  the UK Pathfinder Launch project led by Lockeed Martin. 

Astra 

 Astra announced 10th May 22 that it plans to carry out launches from a spaceport in the Shetland Islands starting in 2023 as part of international expansion plans.

Astra said it is partnering with SaxaVord Spaceport to provide launch services from that facility, located on the island of Unst, the northernmost of the Shetland Islands. Those launches would begin in 2023 pending final agreements and regulatory approvals.

The proposed site for the spaceport is on Lamba Ness, on the north east edge of Unst, the most northerly of the inhabited Shetland Islands.