European Sovereignty Monitor

Defence and space

Scottish public agency HIE buys collapsed Orbex's Sutherland Spaceport assets

Highlands and Islands Enterprise, a Scottish public development agency, bought the assets of Sutherland Spaceport Ltd from liquidators after parent company Orbex collapsed into administration, leaving the launch site's future use undecided.

Verified Highlands and Islands Enterprise news release, 25 August 2026

What it does not test. Does not establish whether the site will ever host a rocket launch or who might operate it next.

How this item counts. No movement: no answer to who owns, who operates, whose law governs or who made the parts changes. Weight 0. European (Scottish) buyer replaces European (UK) seller; no pillar shift; future use undecided. European Sovereignty Index

Previously in Defence and space

Verified UK publishes GBP7.8 billion Space Strategy to 2030 Reported US firm AvL Technologies wins USD31 million satellite terminal deal for Poland Verified Sweden approves SEK 7 billion HIMARS buy, signs rocket artillery pact with Finland

All Defence and space news →