This proposal is for an Airspace Trial, for which a scaled airspace change process applies and a change level is not applicable.
Orbital Express Launch Ltd is seeking to establish a volume of airspace to protect all airspace users from Vertical Launches from Sutherland Spaceport. This Statement of Need is in respect of an Airspace Trial, which is linked to the permanent application ACP 2019-04 that Highland and Islands Enterprises (HIE) submitted in January 2019, and which is ongoing. This Airspace Trial application is aimed at providing protection to airspace during Orbex’s initial launches and to enable collection of information to support the permanent ACP as well as work with other stakeholders to develop the management processes to support the same. As with the permanent application, protection will be required from surface up to 66,000 ft and will be required prior to each launch and for a period after launch, on an occasional basis. It is envisaged that an appropriate volume of airspace will be required to ensure that all flying activities are separated from launch activity, so that all aviation activities can continue safely.
