Drivers on the road between Peterhead and Forres on Saturday morning may find themselves stuck behind an unusual wide load, as the launch pad for Scotland’s latest rocket facility is moved into place.
Orbex’s platform is the first of its kind to be constructed in the UK for more than half a century, and will provide the solid foundation for future satellite launch tests from the company’s site near Kinloss.
Before it is put into service, though, it must be moved from GCG Shotblasters in the Aberdeenshire town – where it was receiving a protective coating usually reserved for oil and gas platforms – to its new home outside the Moray village.
The 80-mile journey is expected to take around three hours.
Two trucks will carry the platform with a police escort, travelling along the A90, A90 AWPR, A96, Kinloss Rd and B9089 before it arrives it its destination.
Pad to be used for testing
Construction of the platform, known as Orbex LP1, began around two months ago, with the Forres-based satellite launch company commissioning Motive Offshore Group to start putting it together.
Despite being fully capable of launching an orbital rocket, LP1 will only be used for tests of Orbex’s Prime rocket, which will eventually take satellites weighing up to 150kg into low Earth orbit – meaning below an altitude of around 1,250 miles.
Following the ‘dress rehearsals’ at Kinloss, the proper launches will take place at Space Hub Sutherland, which is to be constructed on the A’ Mhoine peninsula in the far north-west of Scotland.
Work on that site was to begin early this year, ahead of the first expected Orbex Prime launch later in 2022.
If you spot the platform on its travels tomorrow, please send us a picture: livenews@ajl.co.uk