The U.S. and U.K. governments have finalized an agreement that will authorize U.S. companies to conduct launch operations at U.K. spaceports, Satnews reported Wednesday. The agreement will also allow U.S. companies to ferry space launch technology across the Atlantic Ocean.
The U.K. government has awarded $50 million in grants to enable horizontal and vertical launch activities for small satellites. Lockheed Martin has also been selected to implement vertical launch operations in Scotland.
Two U.K. space agencies have allotted around $30 million in grants to support the project. The U.K. government seeks to reach 10 percent of the global commercial space market by 2030 through the agreement.
