The UK government has launched a public consultation to determine the most suitable site for the construction of a new spaceport. There are eight possible locations. The spaceport is to be commissioned in 2018.
The proposals for the possible construction site of a brand new spaceport have been made by the Civil Aviation Authority. Six of the eight proposed sites are in Scotland. There are also potential construction sites in England and Wales. This often concerns existing airports with long runways. Preference is given to locations in sparsely populated coastal areas.
The consultation round will run for three months, after which a final decision will be taken for construction. The base should be operational as early as 2018. According to the British government, the United Kingdom can earn a lot of money and create the necessary jobs if it responds in time to the growth of commercial space travel.
Although the British government wants a spaceport, the aviation authority points out the potential dangers. According to the regulator, the mostly still experimental aircraft with a rocket engine are a factor of a thousand more dangerous to fly than a normal commercial aircraft. That is why such aircraft must fly in separate areas so as not to pose a danger to regular aviation. These areas have yet to be designated.