Scottish business minister Richard Lochhead has led tributes to space pioneer Frank Strang who has died, aged 67, after a short battle with cancer.
Mr Strang was CEO and founder of SaxaVord Spaceport which has a rocket launch base at Unst, Shetland.
Back in 2017, together with his co-founders Scott Hammond and Debbie Strang, he assembled a small team to turn the plan from a paper concept into reality, winning considerable private financial backing in the process.
His death was being felt across the space sector and in government circles.
Mr Lochhead said: “I am so saddened to hear this news. I can’t quite believe that I won’t be speaking to Frank again as I expected to be doing more and more in the coming months.
“Due to his bold ambition and vision he leaves a tremendous legacy. What Frank achieved is quite remarkable and will be even more clear to the nation as time passes.
“My deepest condolences to Debbie and the team at SaxaVord.”
Ross Hulbert, of Spaceport Cornwall, said: “Desperately sad news. What a pioneer who achieved so much for launch in the UK. Thank you Frank.”
In a statement, SaxaVord said: “His unorthodox style, with long hair and cowboy boots, was coupled with a legendary drive and determination that helped SaxaVord overcome seemingly impossible odds to become the UK’s first fully licensed vertical launch spaceport, complete with launch stool, integration hangar and tracking and telemetry system.
“His death is devastating for the now much larger team of people he and Scott have built to be ready for a first launch later this year or early next, but will make them determined to deliver long-term success.”
Mr Hammond, who is expected to take over as CEO, said: “I have been a friend and colleague of Frank since our days together in the RAF, so his death so young is an enormous blow both personally and professionally.
“When we first identified the prospects for a spaceport at Lamba Ness in Unst, Frank would not take no for an answer and broke through barriers that would have deterred lesser people.
“He was a real force of nature, and his vision and his grit got us to where we are today, bringing the Unst and Shetland communities, investors and government with us.
“But our mission is not complete – my job now is to deliver not only the first launch but successive launches that establish the UK as Europe’s leader in access to space.
“Both myself and the SaxaVord team feel a strong sense of responsibility to deliver that goal for Frank, and we will, I am in no doubt.
“We are determined to make the UK Europe’s leader in vertical launch spaceflight. That will be Frank’s legacy, for Shetland, for Scotland and the UK.”
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