A £500,000 project to establish a satellite management and monitoring service in Argyll has secured up to £194,000 from Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE).
The project is being led by Exotopic at the Machrihanish Airbase Business Park near Campbeltown.
Over the next three years, it is forecast to generate almost £3 million for the local economy. It will also lead to 11 new skilled jobs to support operations and maintenance of the facility, and the expansion of Exotopic’s ground network.
The company has a growing space sector heritage, developing sovereign UK capability in launch and satellite mission operations and space surveillance.
Site owner, Machrihanish Airbase Community Company (MACC), has worked with Exotopic to expand specialist space capabilities at the former airbase. The site hosts a specialist rocket engine test facility operated by Exotopic in collaboration with the University of Glasgow, and is also utilised for R&D by specialist European satellite launch operators.
Exotopic is establishing a scalable business at the MACC Business Park. The HIE funding will support a new service delivery project, including the upgrade of ground stations and a new resilient operations room with specialist equipment and software in the company’s facility on the former airbase.
With a dedicated control room, Exotopic will be able to manage and monitor satellites in orbit. The company will work with space enterprises looking to deploy technology into space at low cost and ensure the safe operation of assets on orbit.
Exotopic’s own demonstration satellite, Give Me Some Space, is currently awaiting launch and will eventually be operated from Machrihanish. A new team of operators and support staff will ensure 24/7 operations and compliance with strict regulation.
HIE area manager for Argyll and the Islands, Morag Goodfellow, said, “This is about strengthening Scotland’s position with regards to new markets and growing industries, one of which is space, and creating new skilled jobs in rural areas. Exotopic has identified a new market within the space sector. The company has the expertise to service this market and generate economic activity at Machrihanish, which is an ideal location for space related services. There’s already a programme of work scheduled to begin in the summer with several clients.
“I’m delighted we’ve been able to provide support and look forward to seeing this new venture get underway.”
Exotopic CEO Andy Grey added, “When I visited the site in 2019 there was clear potential to establish, and to some degree re-establish, a critical infrastructure for the UK and its allies. Over several years and with the support of Highlands and Islands Enterprise, Machrihanish Airbase Community Company, Argyll and Bute Council, and the UK Space Agency, we have worked to develop systems that will be used to deliver important capabilities across the world, from facilities located in Campbeltown. This project will see the team at Machrihanish monitoring and operating satellites as they orbit the globe.”
