Proactive Investors - UK rocket startup Orbex has hired a former British Airways (LON:ICAG) and QinetiQ executive in the new role of chief of spaceport operations as it looks to continue the development of its own spaceport and prepare for its first vertical launch.
Lesley Still, who has four decades of aerospace industry experience and was most recently head of operations for QinetiQ Group's Empire Test Pilots School and worked in operational roles at British Airways for 17 years, will oversee the operational management of Sutherland Spaceport to ensure its readiness for the first launch of the Orbex Prime rocket.
The role will include managing the spaceport licence application and interacting with the various stakeholders involved, the company said.
Construction of the carbon-neutral spaceport, situated on the northern coast of mainland Scotland, got underway in May. Orbex, which is based further south-east in Forres, took ownership of the site in November with a 50-year lease from the local crofter community.
Sutherland is one of two Scottish spaceports that are hoping to receive their licences from the Civil Aviation Authority in the coming months, amid a clamour from the industry and MPs for the space regulatory process to be streamlined.
Chief executive Martin Coates said: “The next few months are critical for Orbex as we are building both a rocket and a spaceport at the same time.
“Lesley’s extensive aerospace sector experience will be invaluable as we fine-tune our operations and get ready for our first launch. We look forward to her leadership and guidance as we continue our preparations.”
Still said it is “the perfect time to be joining Orbex” and she is “eager to play my part in the UK mainland's first vertical rocket launch.”
Orbex has signed commercial launch contracts with satellite manufacturers to use its 19 metre-long Prime rocket, which is designed to launch small satellites into polar and sun-synchronous orbits.
It also recently agreed to collaborate with French giant Arianespace on potential future launch collaborations.