Recent Activity
Orbex halted Sutherland work in December 2024 and shifted launches to SaxaVord; Orbex subsequently collapsed and the spaceport company was wound up. In February 2026 Skyrora confirmed it is exploring buying the site's assets.
Investor Brief
Cautionary tale for the anchor-tenant (single-customer) spaceport model: when Orbex pulled out in December 2024 and then collapsed, the site had no fallback tenant and the operating company was wound up. Contrast with SaxaVord's multi-tenant approach. Residual option value if Skyrora completes an asset purchase.
Ownership
Parent Entity
Regulatory Regime
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
- 2026
Skyrora decision on purchasing Sutherland site assets (exploration confirmed Feb 2026)
About
Sutherland Spaceport on the A'Mhoine peninsula in the Scottish Highlands was a partially built vertical launch site for small orbital rockets, anchored by Orbex's Prime vehicle. Orbex halted work on the site in December 2024, shifting its launches to SaxaVord, and subsequently collapsed; the spaceport's operating company was wound up. As of February 2026, Edinburgh-based Skyrora is exploring a purchase of the site's assets, leaving a narrow path to revival.
Key Features
Partially built vertical launch site in the Scottish Highlands — work halted December 2024
Orbex (anchor tenant and operator) pulled out in December 2024 and later collapsed
Site operating company wound up; assets in disposal
Skyrora exploring purchase of site assets (February 2026)
High-latitude location would have offered direct polar/SSO injection
Rockets That Launch Here
Companies Operating Here
Orbit Types
Notable Launches
None — site never hosted a launch
Orbex Prime maiden flight was shifted to SaxaVord in October 2024 before Sutherland work stopped