Scottish Government unveils Scottish Space Strategy for economic growth

The Scottish Space Strategy is a new plan made public by the government that will aim at boosting the country’s economy by using its growing space sector. Scotland is on the fast track to becoming Europe’s default rocket launch hub. At present, Scotland is home to over 130 space tech companies, most of which deal with the manufacturing of rocket parts and software. With Space Hub Sutherland planned for construction set to begin in late 2021, the Scottish government has made plans to build several more spaceports, including satellite manufacturing plants and green fuel depots.

The Scottish Space Strategy will take a large bite out of the global space market

According to the plan, the government will work closely with local businesses to create a net devoid of foreign influence. To be more specific, the government will attempt to jump-start several lucrative ventures such as rocket construction and rocket launch sites across Scotland with local labour and staff. This massive movement will create a boom in local economies, stimulating the post-pandemic down-trend.

The Scottish Government’s Minister for Business, Trade, Tourism and Enterprise, Ivan McKee said that the plan would bring positive changes for the entire country. The goal is to achieve a £4 billion share of the global space market and create 20,000 space jobs by 2030.

Mr. McKee also went on to say that the initiative will focus on sustainability, prioritising space companies that develop and use green fuel in their tech.

The answer to the UK’s National Space Strategy

The Scottish Space Strategy is an improved version of the National Space Strategy document published by the UK government recently, which states a similar approach to stimulate the economy. However, the Scottish plan seems more focused on creating job openings and improving the well-being of local communities rather than establishing modernised space regulations. According to Ivan McKee, the potential of the Scottish Space Strategy is enormous.