Spaceport Cornwall has announced a new partnership with Orbital Access Ltd (OAL), a UK-based launch systems and aerospace services business based in Prestwick. The aim of the collaboration is to develop Spaceport Cornwall and to establish Orbital Access as a principal operator. Spaceport Cornwall comprises Cornwall Airport Newquay, Goonhilly Earth Station and the wider space and aerospace supply chain in Cornwall.

The partnership is also part of a bid for a grant from the UK Space Agency to establish cost-effective end-to-end launch services from an operational UK spaceport by 2020, as set out in the draft UK Spaceflight Bill earlier this year. OAL will establish a new office at Goonhilly Earth Station.

With an estimated economic value of more than £5.9 billion by 2030, the UK Spaceport and launcher project will contribute significantly to the UK’s space industry, providing new jobs and technologies, and promoting science, engineering, research and innovations to the next generation. It will create a space cluster for the fast-growing small-satellite industry, harnessing existing entities (such as Goonhilly Earth Station) and a wide range of new UK aerospace companies, academic institutions and specialist contractors.

Stuart McIntyre, chief executive officer of OAL, said: “We are looking forward to working closely with Spaceport Cornwall and the local space community as the project develops. The location is ideal for our Orbital 500R air-launched payload system, which is a horizontal take-off and landing vehicle designed to carry small satellites into low Earth orbit.”

Sandra Rothwell — chief executive of the Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Local Enterprise Partnership, which is leading the Spaceport Cornwall project — said: “We’re delighted to welcome such a high-profile Spaceport Cornwall partner, and we look forward to Orbital Access opening an office at Goonhilly.

"Our ambition is to develop a thriving space industry in Cornwall, using our existing world-class assets to provide low-cost access to space. Cornwall Airport Newquay and Goonhilly are both in our Aerohub Enterprise Zone, which means we can offer a suite of incentives to inward investors, unlocking further investment in business, science, skills and future space and satellite technologies in Cornwall.”