UK to Earmark $3.3Mln for Building New Spaceport in N. Scotland - Space Agency

FARNBOROUGH (Sputnik) - The UK government will allocate 2.5 million pounds (about $3.3 million) for the construction of a spaceport in the north of Scotland, the UK Space Agency said at the Farnborough International Airshow.

According to the space agency, Scotland's Sutherland was selected for the vertical launch site to be developed by Highlands and Islands Enterprise.

"As a nation of innovators and entrepreneurs, we want Britain to be the first place in mainland Europe to launch satellites as part of our Industrial Strategy. The UK’s thriving space industry, research community and aerospace supply chain put the UK in a leading position to develop both vertical and horizontal launch sites," Greg Clark, the UK Space Agency business secretary, announced at the airshow, as cited by the agency's press release.

An additional 2 million pound fund would be set up to develop horizontal launch sites such as those planned in Cornwall, Glasgow Prestwick and Snowdonia, the space agency added.

READ MORE: Farnborough Show: May to Vow to Retain UK's Leading Status in Aerospace Industry

In 2014, the agency's chief executive, David Parker, announced that the United Kingdom was planning to start building its own spaceport in 2018, with eight potential sites, most of the military airfields, to choose from.