It is an environmentally-focused episode this week as Shetland Island’s Councillor Ryan Thomson speaks about his campaign to encourage businesses to stop using single-use plastics.
Ryan explains to host Marjolein Robertson the dangers of plastics and the pair discuss different ways in which businesses and individuals can tackle this growing problem.
In today’s (Friday, 26th April) edition of The Shetland Times:
• Housing challenges exposed
• Lift off moves closer for Unst’s spaceport
• Dozens of Sullom Voe workers to strike
• Many more back Dogs Against Drugs campaign
• EXCLUSIVE: Half a million spent on consultants
• EXCLUSIVE: Almost £6 million approved in secret
• EXCLUSIVE: Whalsay woman takes on fundraising challenge in memory of her father
• Fetlar glamping pods’ plans abandoned
• Thousands raised at Shetland’s Got Talent
• SPORT: County victory for women’s darts team
The UK government has been urged to fund fixed links as “Shetland’s price” for its role in the vital space industry.
SaxaVord Spaceport today (Thursday) celebrated a major milestone in the project, securing the final licence to host orbital satellite launches.
The first launch is expected to take place later this year.
Isles MP Alistair Carmichael strongly welcomed that news, and said he was delighted that the UK government had pledged £10m towards the budget.
But he has called on them to go even further, and to fund tunnels to the outer isles as well.
“We welcome the coming of the space industry to Shetland, but we welcome it on our own terms and we want to maximise for ourselves the opportunities that it can bring to our communities,” he said.
“One project that the community is keen to proceed with – and which is deserving of some support from the Scottish government and the UK government would be to replace our inter-island ferries with fixed-links tunnels going from mainland Shetland to Yell, and Yell to Unst.
“That is the sort of thing that should be Shetland’s price for playing host to the space industry.”
Mr Carmichael added that if Shetland is to “step up to the plate” for the benefit of the UK, that responsibility needs to be acknowledged.
SaxaVord Spaceport has been granted the final licence it requires to host orbital satellite launches – with the first expected in the third quarter of this year.
The UK Civil Aviation Authority granted the spaceport’s “range control licence” yesterday.
It marks another giant leap in the Unst spaceport’s progress towards achieving the UK’s first vertical satellite launch.
The CAA had already granted SaxaVord its spaceport licence in December – the first to be approved anywhere in the UK.
The latest licence gives the spaceport permission to clear and control the downrange zone during launches.
It is a legal requirement – but does not in itself grant permission to launch.
All that remains is for Rocket Factory Augsburg (RFA) to be granted its operator licence, which is a separate process also co-ordinated by the CAA.
SaxaVord chief executive Frank Strang said his team was “delighted” to have been granted the licence – and for it to have been approved by the UK government transport secretary Mark Harper.
He said it was another “historic milestone” for the spaceport, Shetland and the UK space sector.
“This is a vital component in our preparations for launch,” he added.
“Satisfying such a crucial piece of the regulatory process affords everyone the comfort that we will always operate in a safe and proper manner under the watchful eye of the regulator.
“As western Europe’s only fully licenced vertical launch spaceport, we are now preparing to make more space history with the beginning of orbital launch operations well underway and first launch expected to be in quarter three of this year.”
The CAA said it had issued SaxaVord’s licences well ahead of any potential launches and it was currently assessing operators, including (RFA), which is scheduled to make the first launch later this year.
The government agency is currently monitoring operations at SaxaVord to ensure they are meeting the terms of their licence and public safety is protected.
The CAA’s head of UK space regulation Colin Macleod said: “SaxaVord’s range licence is vital to protecting public safety during launches.
“Our work is enabling the UK’s expanding space sector and encouraging safety, sustainability and security of space activity.”
SaxaVord and RFA first struck their multi-million pound deal in January 2023, providing the German firm exclusive access to launch pad Fredo.
The first launch will involve the RFA One launch system.
The spaceport, which received a £10 million funding boost from the UK government in the spring budget, has signed agreements with other rocket companies, including HyImpulse.
It is also set to host Lockheed Martin’s UK Pathfinder project.
Join the The Shetland Times mailing list to get one daily email update at midday on what's happening in Shetland.
NO COMMENTS
Add Your Comment