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Wales to Be at the Forefront of Sustainable Technology for the Space Industry

The UK’s space sector has been growing fast over the last few years, as the nation is gearing up to become one of the leaders in aerospace development. Wales intends to play a significant role in UK’s future space endeavors, and the space strategy it recently announced highlights an interesting approach, blending technology innovation with sustainability.
Spaceport Snowdonia is located on the former Llanbedr airfield 6 photos
Photo: Space Flight Academy
Spaceport SnowdoniaSpaceport Snowdonia - Aerial ViewDrone Testing at the Space Flight AcademyLlanbedr AirfieldSFA Aero
The Welsh government recently published a document called “Wales: A Sustainable Space Nation,” unveiling future plans for the local space sector. According to Economy Minister Vaughan Gething, Wales intends to take up to 5% of the UK’s space sector on the global market by 2040, which would boost the local economy by billions of pounds every year.

The main locations for this growing industry will be the Spaceport Snowdonia, currently being developed on the former Llanbedr airfield, and a sea-based launch platform located in Port Talbot. Military testing facilities in Ceredigion and Carmarthenshire will also play a significant part, News Chain reports. The Economy minister explained that a sustainable spacefaring nation is one that focuses on environmentally-friendly ways of sending various items to space.

On one hand, this can be done by decarbonizing space travel, and on the other hand, by developing and implementing reusable technology. Future companies in this sector should look at innovative green fuels for rockets and at space equipment that can be returned and reused. “So you are looking at both re-use and decarbonizing the way that we put items into space and that in itself will be important for air travel,” said Gething.

Wales is where big space tech companies like Qioptiq have already established facilities, but it will also become a welcoming space for startups, such as Space Forge.

Spaceport Snowdonia, located in the Snowdonia National Park, is also where UK’s first commercial Spaceflight aeromedical facility, SFA Aero, will be built. The future spaceport will benefit from the advantages of the historic Llanbedr Airfield, which is not restricted by any other infrastructure or scheduled commercial flights, unlike other potential UK spaceport locations.

The future space eco-system in Wales will also include advanced manufacturing operations and new test facilities.
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About the author: Otilia Drăgan
Otilia Drăgan profile photo

Otilia believes that if it’s eco, green, or groundbreaking, people should know about it (especially if it's got wheels or wings). Working in online media for over five years, she's gained a deeper perspective on how people everywhere can inspire each other.
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