Aerospace expert to lead countdown to Sutherland Spaceport launches | CPT PPP Coverage

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The company aiming to launch vertical rockets into space from the north coast has created a new appointment to oversee the countdown to launch.

Sutherland Spaceport is being developed by Orbex on croftland at A’ Mhoine, west of Tongue, while it continues to work on its new rocket.

Orbex, a UK-based spaceflight company, announced the appointment of Lesley Still as its new chief of spaceport operations on Tuesday.

It says that this key appointment comes as it advances preparations for the UK mainland’s inaugural vertical rocket launch, expected some time next year.

Work on the spaceport began in May when Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross MP Jamie Stone said the development would bring “new potential” to the far north.

The site will be used to launch up to 12 orbital rockets per year for the deployment of satellites into Earth’s orbit. The spaceport is intended to become the first carbon-neutral spaceport in the world, both in its construction and its operation.

Lesley, a Fellow of the Royal Aeronautical Society, brings four decades of aerospace industry experience to her new role. She has held strategic leadership positions throughout her career, specialising in the planning and delivery of effective ground and logistics operations to support commercial aerospace organisations.

In the newly created role of chief of spaceport operations, Lesley will oversee the operational management of Sutherland Spaceport – formerly known as Space Hub Sutherland – ensuring its readiness for the first launch of the Orbex Prime rocket.

This includes managing the spaceport licence application and interacting with the various stakeholders. She will work closely with the local community and stakeholders to ensure that the facility plays an important role in the area, Orbex added.

When the spaceport construction has concluded, she will also oversee the operations of the spaceport including critical areas such as health and safety.

Lesley’s career began at British Airways, where she honed her skills in aerospace operations over 17 years. She subsequently held key management positions in operational delivery at Loganair and Bond Offshore Helicopters, before managing Sumburgh Airport in Shetland for Highlands and Islands Airports Limited, then serving as head of operations for the Empire Test Pilots’ School at QinetiQ, where she continued her focus on strategic planning and project delivery in senior leadership roles.

Martin Coates, CEO at Orbex, said: “The next few months are critical for Orbex as we are building both a rocket and a spaceport at the same time. Lesley’s extensive aerospace sector experience will be invaluable as we fine-tune our operations and get ready for our first launch.

“We look forward to her leadership and guidance as we continue our preparations.”

Lesley said: “This is the perfect time to be joining Orbex. The progress the team has already made in recent months is impressive, and I’m eager to play my part in the UK mainland’s first vertical rocket launch.

“As chief of spaceport operations, I will be working hard to ensure the success of both Sutherland Spaceport and Orbex, and further cementing their places in the local community.”

Orbex Prime is a 19-metre-long rocket designed to launch small satellites into polar and sun-synchronous orbits, and it became the first full orbital micro-launcher rocket to be unveiled in Europe in May 2022. Orbex has already announced several commercial launch contracts with satellite manufacturers.

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