Its plan supports launch services through horizontal and vertical launch, with runway-based launch in the south and west and vertical ascent from launchpads in northern Scotland. Why launch mattersThe UK has a large satellite sector, but it still relies on launch sites abroad. Expanding UK spaceports and domestic launch services could cut delays and give the country more control over access to space. Two ways to reach orbitThe choice between horizontal and vertical launch systems affects the payload size and the types of orbit a mission can achieve. On Jan. 9, 2023, it hosted Britain’s first attempt to place satellites into orbit from a UK launch site.