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11 March 2019 Spaceport safety measures required to reduce risk to North Sea platforms and Faroe Islands By Calum Ross The Press and Journal |
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It has emerged that the so-called
“Sceptre” report, produced by Highlands and Islands
Enterprise (HIE) and others, highlighted such challenges
in 2017. It warned that “as a last resort
then the population could be evacuated i.e. from North Sea
Oil Rigs or small islands”, and suggested “effectively
closing the area” to ships and aircraft “for the period of
the launch and downrange flight”. As it assessed potential spaceport
locations, the study suggested there were three oil and
gas platforms “that may be within some of the flight
corridors”. In considering the best launching
trajectories, the report said that local populations must
be taken into account at many locations, with the Faroe
Islands of “particular concern”, and Iceland and Norway
also “likely to be a potential concern”. It said that from a “pure orbital
delivery performance perspective”, Saxa Vord on Shetland
is the “best location in the UK to launch from as the
trajectory avoids the populations in the Faroe Islands and
Iceland”, while Aird Uig on Lewis offers the “poorest
performance”. To launch from The Moine in Sutherland,
the rockets would be required to carry out a “dog-leg manoeuvre”
to reduce the “risk to the population of the Faroe Islands to an
acceptable level”. Performing such a manoeuvre would
reduce the payload on a rocket by about a third, however. However, when asked about the
concerns, a spokesman for HIE said the satellite launches
“should have no impact” on oil platforms.” Trevor Stapleton, health and safety
manager for industry body Oil & Gas UK, said: “The UK’s
offshore oil and gas industry communicates regularly with
appropriate authorities in order to maintain and improve safe
operations in the marine and air environment. “While OGUK is yet to be approached on
this specific endeavour, we would hope to enjoy the same
safety led, consultative and collaborative relationship with
those involved in the UK’s Space Innovation and Growth
Strategy.” A spokesman for the Faroe Islands
government said: “UK Space Agency has contacted the Ministry
of Foreign Affairs and Trade regarding future undertakings,
which includes the Sutherland plan. “The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and
Trade is currently processing the information provided in
close dialogue with relevant authorities and stakeholders in
the Faroe Islands.” Professor Malcolm Macdonald, who sits
on the board of the UK Space Agency, said “effectively you can
fly around” the Faroe Islands and Iceland, and although the
“simplest, most fuel efficient way is to fly in a straight
line”, launches from Sutherland “would be able to do these
types of dog-legged manoeuvres”. He added: “It’s not a show-stopper.
Absolutely not.” |
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