Scotland has received funding from the UK Space Agency to build the country’s first vertical launch spaceport in A’Mhoine peninsula, Sutherland.

The £2.5m fund will be given to Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) to develop the launch site.

Expected to be operational in the early 2020s, the proposed site will be used to launch rockets and satellites into space.

The spaceport is also expected to create hundreds of new jobs in the UK.

UK Business Secretary Greg Clark said: “As a nation of innovators and entrepreneurs, we want Britain to be the first place in mainland Europe to launch satellites as part of our modern Industrial Strategy.

“This will build on our global reputation for manufacturing small satellites and help the whole country capitalise on the huge potential of the commercial space age.”

“The UK’s thriving space industry, research community and aerospace supply chain put the UK in a leading position to develop both vertical and horizontal launch sites.

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“This will build on our global reputation for manufacturing small satellites and help the whole country capitalise on the huge potential of the commercial space age.”

Furthermore, the UK Government is set to provide another £2m to support the development of other horizontal launch spaceport sites across the country including Glasgow Prestwick, Newquay and Snowdonia.

UK Space Agency chief executive Graham Turnock said: “This spaceport grant will help to kick-start an exciting new era for the UK space industry, and this is only the beginning of our LaunchUK campaign.

“We are committed to supporting a commercial market for access to space in the UK, and we will continue to engage with any company who seeks to operate here.”

The commercial space industry is expected to contribute £3.8bn to the UK economy over the next decade and will promote the country’s Industrial Strategy by creating high-skilled jobs and improving local economies.