Recent Activity
Orbex announced October 2024 it would shift its Prime maiden flight to SaxaVord first while Sutherland construction continues; Sutherland site activity slowed pending Prime second-flight readiness in 2027.
Investor Brief
Anchor-tenant model (single-customer site) vs. SaxaVord's multi-tenant approach — bet is that Orbex's vertically-integrated rocket+spaceport play yields better unit economics if Prime reaches operational cadence.
Ownership
Parent Entity
Regulatory Regime
Anchor Tenants
Latitude Advantage
Launch Azimuth Range
Country
🇬🇧United Kingdom
Region
Europe
Established
2,023
Launches / Year
0
Years Active
3
Strategic Position
58.5000° N, 4.7000° W
Azimuth: 0 deg-15 deg (due north over the Atlantic)
58.5 deg N — direct polar/SSO injection; ~2 deg further south than SaxaVord but with shorter ferry/supply chain from mainland UK
Future Milestones
- 2027
Site construction completion; first launch readiness review
- 2028
Orbex Prime first launch from Sutherland (after SaxaVord maiden)
- 2029
Target cadence of 4-6 Prime launches/year
About
Sutherland Spaceport on the A'Mhoine peninsula in the Scottish Highlands is under construction as a vertical launch site for small orbital rockets. Orbex, a UK-European launch company, is the primary tenant and plans to launch its Prime rocket from the site. The spaceport aims to serve the growing European small satellite market with access to polar orbits.
Key Features
Vertical launch site under construction in the Scottish Highlands
Orbex Prime rocket designated as primary launch vehicle
High-latitude location ideal for polar and sun-synchronous orbits
Designed with minimal environmental impact in a peatland area
Part of the UK's national space strategy to develop sovereign launch capability
Rockets That Launch Here
Companies Operating Here
Orbit Types
Notable Launches
Orbex Prime inaugural launch planned as first mission
Site construction began 2023; ground-breaking pushed by environmental review
Targeting small satellite constellation deployment missions