May 20, 2015
Space station Machrihanish
One of the more bizarre properties to have come under community ownership in recent years is the Machrihanish Air Base. With one of the longest runways in Europe it was considered big enough for the space shuttle to land on in an emergency. The community are now redeveloping the air base’s vast number of buildings and other facilities into all manner of leisure and business uses. And it’s just been shortlisted to become the UK’s first operational space port in 2018. Check out their promotional video to get a sense of this unique community asset.
20/5/15
Machrihanish Airbase Community Company are officially launching Campbeltown’s Discover Space UK bid to become the UK’s first spaceport – revealing it is the only shortlisted candidate already twice approved for space flight.
The community-owned airbase in Machrihanish in Kintyre – nicknamed ‘the UK’s Area 51’– is one of five sites shortlisted by the UK Government to become the UK’s first operational spaceport in 2018.
As the only bidder to exceed the UK Government’s minimum runway length of 3,000m, as well as being over 1,000 acres in size and removed from densely populated areas, the Machrihanish site already has a technical advantage.
Today the website and campaign videos are launched to support the bid, tapping into their unique heritage and the mysteries surrounding the previous use of Machrihanish Airbase.
And check out the campaign video