Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it’s investigating the financials of Elon Musk’s pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, ‘The A Word’, which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.
Intelligence-gathering satellites could be launched into space from Scotland under an initiative involving the German military.
In a bid to strengthen Europe’s defence links, the German air force’s space command wants to use SaxaVord Spaceport for “sovereign launch” capabilities.
It will mean the spaceport on Unst in the Shetland Islands will carry out launches of military as well as commercial satellites.
“Sovereign launch” refers to the ability to reach space quickly and independently in the event of a conflict or disruption to vital satellites.
Some in the space industry have pointed out that the US holds the vast majority of the world’s sovereign launch capability, while Europe currently has almost no equivalent.
The approach of the Trump administration to transatlantic security has led to European countries reconsidering their defence priorities.
A German company, Rocket Factory Augsburg (RFA), hopes to carry out the first satellite launch from UK soil and is planning to blast off from the privately-owned SaxaVord later this year.
RFA and SaxaVord made the announcement at the SpaceComm expo in London’s Docklands on Tuesday.
SaxaVord chief executive Frank Strang said: “We have all our licences for orbital vertical launch already in place, and we are putting the finishing touches to infrastructure on site to support our partners – in particular Rocket Factory Augsburg, which has made a significant financial investment in our spaceport.
“We live in an unpredictable and ever more dangerous world and space as a domain has an ever increasing role to play in keeping us secure and protecting our economies.
“The UK and Europe have an asset in SaxaVord that can play a huge role in maintaining the status quo and, combined with RFA, a capability that can help defend our combined interests.”
Major General Michael Traut, commander of the German air force’s space command, said: “For me, it has even become more important to strengthen links between our traditional European partners, especially in regard to space.
“What we are seeing today between German and UK companies is very encouraging. Having access to sovereign launch will be very important for our security.”
RFA co-founder Jorn Spurmann said: “By combining cutting-edge launch technology with SaxaVord’s strategic location, we are reinforcing the backbone of a resilient, agile European defence network in space.”
