ABERDEEN-based Nevis Technology has been awarded a contract to provide a safety-critical weather monitoring system at the SaxaVord Spaceport in Shetland, where the UK’s first vertical rocket launch will take place this year.
The meteorological system, designed and built by Nevis Technology, comprises a range of equipment in one system which will allow the spaceport team to assess all aspects of the weather and surrounding atmosphere in the lead up to a rocket launch, improving the safety of each such event.
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By having a fully comprehensive picture of air pressure, temperature, wind speed, cloud coverage, lightning and storm detection, and overall visibility, it will also help them understand and map the trajectory of the rocket when it takes off.
Nevis Technology Operations Director Kathleen Dawes, who has more than 25 years’ experience working in the metocean industry, described the contract win as a ‘fantastic endorsement’ of the technology Nevis has been developing in recent years.
She said: “SaxaVord Spaceport was looking for a ‘full-service offering’, that could integrate all weather monitoring systems into one and we were able to come up with exactly what they wanted.
“Our technology allowseach weather element to be detected and monitored independently, with all data reporting into one software system, meaning that it is easier to view and analyse the information. All the data gathered in Shetland can be accessed anywhere in the world using Nevis’ software. It also makes service and maintenance easier.”
Following an initial test phase in Aberdeen, the kit will be moved to the Lamba Ness site in Unst, with installation scheduled to take place in May or June. The first rocket launch is planned for Summer 2023.
To date, a total of £19m has been invested in SaxaVord Spaceport, with a projected investment of £43m being spent over the next 18 months developing the Lamba Ness complex, rising to £100m in the next five years. Construction of the spaceport started last March and is ahead of schedule, with the first concrete base for a launch pad having been completed in November.
Kathleen continued: “This is an exciting time for Nevis Technology, and we are very proud to have won the work with SaxaVord Spaceport. We are very much looking forward to being part of the team helping to make it a success when the initial launch takes place.
“Although traditionally we have worked in the oil and gas arena, both on and offshore, this new relationship with SaxaVord shows just how versatile our team and our products are as we continue to develop our service offerings and engage with new markets, including renewables.”
