Sierra Space is the second company to announce plans to use Spaceport Cornwall.
Sierra Space, the new space subsidiary of Sierra Nevada Corporation, has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Spaceport Cornwall, the UKs horizontal launch Spaceport at Cornwall Airport Newquay in South West England.
The MoU represents the latest advancement for the UK space industry and the broader plan for sustained operations at Spaceport Cornwall. Furthermore, the MoU is expected to lead to a more detailed study in the future by Sierra Space for potentially naming Spaceport Cornwall as an approved orbital return location for the companys Dream Chaser spaceplane missions in the future. Dream Chaser is a spaceplane capable of civil and commercial missions; it returns to Earth from space via a conventional runway landing.
Commenting on the deal, Fatih Ozmen, CEO and owner of SNC, said: In the backdrop of the G7 Summit, Sierra Space is pleased to announce the ongoing progress we are making with Spaceport Cornwall as a viable site for Dream Chaser. Sierra Space understands and embraces the historical significance this milestone represents for Cornwall, a great partner, and the broader UK space industry. We share with Spaceport Cornwall a vision to increase and democratize space sector participation by lowering the cost of access to space and communicating the vital role satellites can play in combating some of the global climate challenges world leaders are currently discussing at G7.
Melissa Thorpe, Head of Spaceport Cornwall, added: We are delighted to welcome representatives from Sierra Space to Cornwall during the G7 Summit, and to announce the signing of the MOU. Spaceport Cornwall is a multi-user spaceport and its a great achievement to add an additional launch partner to our consortium a year ahead of the first launch from the site in 2022. Satellite technology offers so much hope in combating many of the environmental challenges being discussed here this week, and we are proud to be able to showcase the part Cornwall, and the UK is playing.
