Ready for lift off: commercial spaceports in Britain given green light

Commercial spaceflights could be launched from the UK in just three years’ time under new plans unveiled by the government.

The new SpaceFlight bill will allow the launch of satellites, vertical rockets and horizontal flights from the UK for the first time.

Previously, satellites could only be sent into orbit from space stations in countries such as the US.

The spaceports will be functional as early as 2020 as part of the “space sector” that has been described as the “future of the British economy”.

Aviation minister Lord Ahmad said: “Forty years ago, meteorologists couldn’t have imagined the importance of satellites for predicting the weather.

“Today over 90 per cent of data used in every forecast comes from a satellite, with hundreds of other applications used in GPS, telecommunications and broadband.

“We have never launched a spaceflight before from this country.

“Our ambition is to allow for safe and competitive access to space from the UK, so we remain at the forefront of a new commercial space age, for the next forty years.”

The programme will also allow British scientists to conduct experiments in zero gravity.

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This could help develop vaccines and medicines, such as antibiotics, which grow differently where there is no gravity.

Today’s bill builds on the £10million of grant funding announced by the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy earlier this month.

A spokesman for the Department for Transport said: “It creates high-value jobs and generates wealth across the country.

“Our regions will benefit from direct access to space as the building of local space ports will lead to more demand in hospitality and tourism services, creating jobs and opportunities.”

However, Jenny Randerson, Lib Dem Shadow Transport Secretary, condemned the plans as wastefully.

She said: “This £10 million shows just how out of touch the Government really are.

“Only a handful of extremely wealthy people would consider space tourism an option.

“And while people are struggling with the current infrastructure here on earth the Government should take a reality check.”

She added: “With this kind of thinking the first person shot into space on the test flight should be [transport secretary] Chris Grayling.”