The development of rocket launches from Prestwick Spaceport have taken a giant leap with two industry leading rocket businesses signing up to work with Astraius, the launch service provider.
The development of space launch services at Prestwick is being led by Glasgow Prestwick Airport, an operational airport on the west coast of Scotland, and it’s partner South Ayrshire Council, with the site gearing up for its first launch in 2024.
UK-based horizontal launch company, Astraius, has partnered with Northrop Grumman as the first and second stage motor supplier and Exquadrum as the upper-stage motor. Northrop Grumman’s Orion solid rocket motors will boost the Astraius launch vehicle after its extraction from the unmodified C-17 carrier aircraft. Completing the mission, Exquadrum’s bespoke Astraius upper stage will precisely place satellites in their intended orbits.
“This move is intrinsic in our plans to build a truly global space industry here in Prestwick,” said Mick O’Connor, Programme Director of Prestwick Spaceport. “Collaborating with two heavyweight, industry leading companies to work alongside Astraius in developing our spaceport offerings shows real confidence and that we really mean business.
O’Connor also highlighted that the new partnerships will ensure the site is offering state-of-the-art launch capabilities to drive investment and jobs in the area. The spaceport will play a key role in creating up to 4,000 local aerospace and space jobs for Scotland, helping to nurture and develop skills needed to keep the UK at the forefront of what is a globally growing industry. Meanwhile Glasgow Prestwick Airport itself is already a significant infrastructure asset supporting more than 4,000 jobs in the west of Scotland.
“We remain firmly on track to have the first launch ready for 2024 and the potential for this spaceport to completely reinvent the economies of both Ayrshire and Scotland,” concluded O’Connor.
