A new dawn awaits the Scottish space sector, guest blog by Dr Andy Campbell, CEO and Founder of Scottish Space Network

“Earth sure looks like a perfect world.” The words of Jared Issacmann, Commander of the privately funded SpaceX mission ‘Polaris Dawn’, as he exited the Crew Dragon capsule on 12th September. Travelling at over 18,000mph at an altitude 450 miles above earth, Issacmann’s EVA (Extra vehicular Activity) or spacewalk in common parlance, marked a new era in commercial space exploration, laying the foundations for a shift towards civilian and commercial led missions.

 These missions, unfairly dismissed as billionaires having fun, are critical for testing new space flight technologies, spacesuits, science and human ability, essential steps towards future commercial operations for low earth orbit, lunar and deeper space activities.

 As space activity becomes more commercially driven, the Polaris Dawn mission opens the door for a new type of space workforce of the future, a workforce who could, in the near future, be responsible for constructing and maintaining habitats and infrastructure in space and on the moon.

 Similar to Scotland’s oil and gas industry sending engineers ‘offshore’, space will soon require a skilled, versatile workforce capable of working ‘off planet’ with all the training, logistics, H&S and infrastructure behind it. This vision will be supported by advancements in robotics to augment human capabilities, enabling construction and maintenance operations safely in the harshest environments.

 As Issacman was experiencing the ‘Overview Effect’ my feet were on terra firma at the inaugural Space-Comm Expo at the SEC, Glasgow. This event underscored the rapid growth and ambition of the Scottish space sector. With Glasgow recognised as the largest small satellite manufacturing hub outside of California, Scotland has become a key player in the global space economy. The sector is expected to generate over 12,000 highly-skilled jobs within the next decade, driven by innovative companies such as AAC Clydespace and Spire who’ve made Glasgow their Scottish base.

 At the expo, Richard Lochhead, Scotland's business minister, pointed out that Scotland is continuing its long tradition of innovation as the space sector increasingly supports crucial industries like telecommunications, agriculture and financial services to name a few. It’s now becoming clear how space technology can transform various sectors and economies here on earth.

 The UK Space Agency has been pivotal in fostering Scotland's space ambitions, supporting the development of launch capabilities at SaxaVord and Sutherland spaceports. These facilities are set to handle up to 42 vertical launches annually, further solidifying Scotland's role in the global space race. Additional investments demonstrate commitment to ensuring Scotland becomes a leading destination for innovation driven space entrepreneurs.

 As Scotland builds its "end-to-end" space sector capability, from launch, satellites and data, a wealth of opportunities for business and employment will be created, driving economic prosperity and growth. This will need to be powered in part by private sector investment and dedicated entrepreneurial and commercial support.

In the coming decades, I am in no doubt we will see a future where workers trained in space operations will leave Earth just as routinely as engineers head offshore today from Scottish soil. The fusion of human ingenuity, robotic innovation and scientific research will accelerate the commercialisation and industrialisation of space, cementing Scotland's place as a gateway to the stars.