Spaceport Cornwall shortlisted by European Space Agency for hypersonic test programme
Hypersonic flight would be at least five times faster than sound
Spaceport Cornwall has been shortlisted by the European Space Agency (ESA) as a potential site for its pioneering INVICTUS hypersonic flight test programme, aiming to advance Europe’s aerospace capabilities.
Positioned at Cornwall Airport Newquay, the facility is one of the two UK sites under consideration for INVICTUS, a programme designed to create Europe’s first hypersonic flight test platform.
The initiative seeks to bridge the gap between ground-based research and full-scale flight demonstrations, enabling significant progress in reusable spaceplanes, propulsion systems, and high-speed aerospace capabilities for civil, commercial, and defence applications.
Ross Hulbert, Head of Engagement, Spaceport Cornwall, said: "Being shortlisted for INVICTUS is a significant moment for Spaceport Cornwall and underscores our commitment to advancing the UK’s future flight and hypersonic ambitions.
"Our world-class facilities, operational versatility, and strategic position within both civilian and military aviation infrastructures place us in a leading role to support this transformational European programme."
Noah Law, Member of Parliament for St Austell and Newquay, added: “INVICTUS would be an immensely welcome, long-term partner for and the kind that such a fine aerospace asset as Spaceport Cornwall - with one of the longest runways in the country and dedicated airspace - deserves.”
Unique infrastructure and operational advantages
Spaceport Cornwall offers a rare combination of features that have contributed to its shortlisting.
The site boasts one of the longest runways in the UK, specialised horizontal launch infrastructure, and access to controlled Atlantic airspace ideal for hypersonic flight profiling.
Operating adjacent to RAF St Mawgan, the facility provides compatibility for both civilian and military aviation, creating a versatile setting for the testing and development of next-generation aerospace technologies.
"I always have to sort of temper people's expectations, but it is true that some of this activity is like a stepping stone to the anyway.
"This is like not just the next step in aerospace, not the next, just the next step in aerospace, but it's really the start of this revolution to how humans move around the planet and ultimately move off the planet", Mr Hulbert explained.
"I can't say it's going to happen in the next year or two, but maybe at some point in the future you might be thinking about possibly going for a surf in Australia in the afternoon.
"But more sort of tangibly, I think we're talking about disaster response to cut high speed cargo, moving things of high value.
"You know, the idea that you're going to buy a toothbrush on Amazon and it's going to be dropped into your garden on a sort of fast-moving drone is not going to happen.
"But things like getting organs into patients, returning cargo from orbit, potentially down to a place like Cornwall- these are some of the uses that we'll see as well as national security applications as well, of course."
National recognition and growth opportunities
The UK Space Agency has praised Spaceport Cornwall’s shortlisting, highlighting its potential to cement the UK’s reputation as a European leader in space innovation.
Tony Forsythe, Head of Space Technology at the UK Space Agency, said: “The shortlisting of Spaceport Cornwall and Machrihanish demonstrates the UK’s infrastructure and expertise in advancing cutting-edge aerospace technologies.
"INVICTUS represents exactly the kind of ambitious programme that could open new frontiers for space access while creating high-value jobs and driving regional growth.
“By pioneering reusable spaceplane technologies and hypersonic flight capabilities, we’re potentially not only opening new frontiers for space access but also creating high-value jobs, driving regional growth, and developing skills that will benefit the UK for generations to come.”
If ultimately selected as an operational site, Spaceport Cornwall would host integration campaigns and flight activities as part of the INVICTUS programme. This opportunity builds on its recent involvement in the UK Ministry of Defence’s Hypersonic Technologies and Capability Development Framework (HTCDF), further solidifying its role in national aerospace advancements.
As the UK’s first licensed spaceport, Spaceport Cornwall continues to play a critical role in connecting businesses and ideas, utilising its facilities for satellite launches and space technology consultancy. Its motto, “Space for Good,” reflects its mission to generate positive impacts through space innovation.
For further details, the European Space Agency’s announcement can be read here .