Previously deputy CEO, Hammond will take over the running of the company located at Lamba Ness in Unst, Shetland. Saxavord is currently preparing to host a test flight by rocket company RFA.
Debbie Strang, Saxa’s chief operating officer, will take over Hammond’s role as deputy CEO. Mairi Prior also joins the board as finance director.
Frank Strang
The spaceport announced the death of its pioneering founder, after a short battle with cancer, on 13 August. He was 67.
“Of course these are not the circumstances in which I would wish to be taking over – Frank’s death has come as a huge blow both to myself as a long-standing friend and colleague and to everyone in the Saxa team,” said the new CEO.
“But it was Frank’s firm wish that we should complete the mission that he and I and Debbie set out on way back in 2017, of turning SaxaVord into a commercial success story.
Scott Hammond
Hammond was a co-founder – with Frank and Debbie Strang – of the original Shetland Space Centre back in 2017.
He is a former RAF Tornado pilot, staff officer and flight commander. And the spaceport highlights he played a critical role in the technical set up of the site. This includes trajectory analysis, rocket evaluation and operating procedures. He also lead the planning, design and build of the ground infrastructure to meet market needs.
“We have come a long way since [2017], with all the infrastructure and personnel in place, as well as the requisite licences, to become the UK’s and Europe’s leading vertical launch rocket site,” Hammond added.
“I am honoured to have been chosen to lead the company and will continue to give my heart and soul to this project as CEO. I look forward to working closely with the team, our clients, investors, government and regulators to put the UK on the map as Europe’s gateway to space.”
Orbex, Rocket Factory Augsburg (RFA) and Skyrora are among the European launch companies seeking to use the Shetlands base.
Skyrora, notably, became the first UK company to be awarded a CAA licence for vertical launches in the country (not just at SaxaVord).
Saxavord Spaceport is looking to become the first European site to support such a vertical rocket launch. Virgin Orbit was unsuccessful at the end of last year with a horizontal launch from a Boeing. This was from Spaceport Cornwall.
You can read an official obituary of Frank Strang on the Saxavord Spaceport website.
See also: Saxavord spaceport highlights sovereign space launch capability
