Less than 2 miles from the UK’s northernmost distillery, where Shetland Reel gin is distilled, lies the UK’s first licensed vertical launch spaceport. As with the gin, location is crucial and in 2017, the government’s Sceptre Report identified SaxaVord as the ideal site for launching small satellites into sun-synchronous and polar orbits. The ability to launch from UK soil was the missing piece in the rapidly growing space sector, and with planning permission granted in March 2022, construction of SaxaVord Spaceport began.
The Spaceport License allows for up to 30 launches per year and Germany company Rocket Factory Augsburg have built a 12m high launch stool on the first launch pad and the first launch is planned by the end of the summer.
A couple of years ago, we launched ‘Countdown’ to celebrate the opportunities space will bring to Unst, Scotland, and the rest of the UK. This marks the next step in our journey to space.
Spaceport openings are rare, making this an iconic moment whilst marking a new chapter in the story of Unst. Our team at Shetland Reel wanted to commemorate this occasion by creating something as unique as the spaceport itself. An icon is in the making, ready to embark on an exciting mission.
What lies ahead is something truly unique, yet firmly grounded in our most beloved botanical: seaweed. Drawing inspiration from the islands and the potential they hold, something thrilling is on the horizon—an icon poised to match the remarkable anticipation building around it.
Are you ready to embark on this mission with us?
LAUNCHING 01/08/24.
