Space mission and rocket launches in £80m scheme move one step closer at Prestwick Airport

dailyrecord.co.uk:

Prestwick's proposed spaceport has moved one step closer to launch this week. Council chiefs have filed a formal planning application notice for the development – the first key step that signals the intent to apply for full planning permission early this year.It follows an environmental impact study which gave the green light to Prestwick's space ambitions on the surrounding area.Horizontal launches – also known as air launches – will see aircraft take off from Prestwick carrying a rocket containing small satellites a long distance to high altitude above the ocean.Once safely beyond inhabited areas and above the densest layer of the atmosphere, the rocket leaves the aircraft, ignites its engines and carries its payload to orbit.Launch operations at Prestwick will therefore consist mainly of processing rockets and their payloads, loading them on to a launch aircraft, and then conventional aircraft take-offs from the existing airport runways.The Ayrshire Live app is available to download now.Get all the local news in your area – plus features, football news and the latest on the coronavirus crisis – at your fingertips 24/7.The free download features the latest breaking news and exclusive stories while you can customise your page with the sections that matter to you.The Ayrshire Live app is available to download now on iOS and Android.South Ayrshire Council leader Peter Henderson described the proposal of application notice as "another milestone" for the project following Prestwick securing Astraius as a launch partner.He added: “By securing a launch partner and beginning the planning process, South Ayrshire is on its way to establishing Prestwick Spaceport and ensuring an exciting future for our local communities and