[Iceman]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-55948914

I wonder what size danger area this will require ?



P.S., I’d never heard of the ‘Polaris FIR’ until I took that screenshot.

Iceman

[Adrian]

This is what the Americans do, but I would expect the British to do something bigger and better!

https://tfr.faa.gov/save_pages/detail_1_0556.html

[Iceman]

Ah, memories of 52+ hours flying in 2 weeks in the late nineties from Titusville (KTIX), including the low fly past on the Canaveral runway . Mind you, I have done a T&G at Unst too.

Iceman

[Dodo]

I have Unst in my logbook.

[Stu B]

Airfield sadly closed now (though essentially intact) - I wonder if the convenience it would offer to this project might manage to resurrect it?

[Iceman]

I would certainly hope so. As you say, the airfield is essentially intact from when it was last operational (about 20 years ago), and it would certainly make a more convenient way to arrive than by sea.

Iceman

[Adrian]

The rocket (which doesn't exist yet) is designed to fit into a shipping container. It won't fit into any aircraft that can land at Unst airfield. Even if it did, it would then need a large truck to take it to the launch site (which doesn't exist yet) at the disused radar station at Saxa Vord. If it ever comes, it'll come by sea.

[Iceman]

I don’t think that anyone was suggesting that the rocket would come by air (the runway’s not long enough for that size of aircraft). I would hope, though, that the support staff and the workers required to build that infrastructure would require a convenient means of arrival and departure.

Iceman

[gaznav]

RAF Saxa Vord is very much operational

https://www.raf.mod.uk/news/articles/ra ... saxa-vord/

[gaznav]

Plus, it looks like it will be getting busy again too...

https://shetlandspacecentre.com/general ... ustry-hub/

[Adrian]

RAF Saxa Vord is very much operational

I beg its pardon! It's the brewery at Saxa Vord which is disused, and which is going to be converted into the launch control building.

I think any hope that the airfield will be used is a bit folorn, but they do propose to use the old fuel storage at the airfield to store the kerosene for the rocket.

Read all about it: https://shetlandspacecentre.com/wp-cont ... V1-NTS.pdf

[gaznav]

The CAA will need to put a HIRTA around Saxa Vord too. I guess they haven’t bothered due to the lack of traffic that far North. But it will probably be similar to the ones at Portreath and Boulmer, etc...

[Adrian]

From this summer, the CAA will take over responsibility for regulating orbital and sub-orbital launches, satellite operations, spaceport operations and range control services. I'm sure that the CAA's space team (I can't remember his name...) will coordinate all these new activities with the need for a HIRTA around the radar at their new spaceport!

[Lockhaven]

From this summer, the CAA will take over responsibility for regulating orbital and sub-orbital launches, satellite operations, spaceport operations and range control services. I'm sure that the CAA's space team (I can't remember his name...) will coordinate all these new activities with the need for a HIRTA around the radar at their new spaceport!

I cannot for one minute imagine what could possibly go wrong with the CAA's involvement in such a project

[GAFlyer4Fun]

The bit I dont get is why have a launch site so far from the equator?
There is a reason NASA chose Florida for space launches and not a remote part of Alaska. (latitude not temperature)