Plans to dump tons of giant space debris into the sea off northern Scotland and leave it there could have a ‘devastating’ impact on tourism and marine life, campaigners have warned.

Bosses at Britain’s most northerly spaceport have been accused of wanting to use the sea as a ’dustbin’ with a plan to discard rocket components in a designated hazard area off Shetland following a launch this summer.

German space firm Rocket Factory Augsburg (RFA), which is behind the launch from SaxaVord Spaceport, has applied to the Scottish Government for the marine licence.

The application states that ‘any potential impact on other maritime activities will be mitigated through coordination with local fisher folk and other maritime users in the area’. 

But environmental campaigners say Scotland’s waters should not become a ‘dumping ground’ and claim the impacts on tourism, fishing and marine life could be ‘devastating’.

It comes days after SaxaVord, situated on the island of Unst in Shetland and mostly owned by Danish billionaire Anders Holch Povlsen, announced that it had been granted an orbital launch licence by the UK Space Agency ‘clearing the final major regulatory pathway to conduct orbital launches’ according to industry body SpaceScotland.

The initial take-off, due to take place later this year, was postponed after a rocket exploded during a ground-based ignition test in 2024.

The latest marine application states that ‘the total length of the RFA micro-launcher is circa 27m with a diameter or 2.15m’ and is comprised of ‘stainless steel or other metal alloys, and carbon composites’ with sections ‘deposited in the sea after their mission phases are completed and propellants depleted’. It adds: ‘These are expected to sink rapidly’.

RFA makes clear that discarded rocket parts will not be recovered from the sea but argues they could become ‘artificial reefs’ and benefit wildlife on the seabed. 

Campaign group SpaceWatch UK, however, accused the space industry of wanting a ‘get-out-of-jail-free card’ to ‘ditch launch junk in the ocean’.

The group’s Peter Burt said: ‘Launch companies have the cheek to try to gaslight us by saying that dumping space junk in the sea forms artificial reefs which are good for the environment, even though there is no evidence to support this claim.’

Speaking to The Ferret, he added: ‘The Scottish Government should not be acting as lackeys for super-rich litter-louts who think they can use the ocean as a dustbin.’

The Marine Conservation Society also warned that sea must not be used as a ‘dumping ground’.

A risk assessment also lists potential hazards including contact with ‘spectator and fishing vessels: sightseeing, day boats and other fishing and recreational craft’ which are ‘not detected in the Launch Exclusion Zone during a launch and are struck by rocket debris’.

Shetland Tourism Association chairman Amanda Hawick said she was ‘horrified to see that there could be a risk to tourists’.

She said: ‘It’s absolutely shocking what they are planning’, adding that the impact for tourism businesses could be ‘devastating’.

SaxaVord states on its website that its ‘founding commitment’ is to ‘minimise our environmental impact on earth and in space’.

It adds: ‘We will work with launch operators to track returning components and record jettisoned material entering the marine environment.’

RFA, SaxaVord and the Scottish Government were contacted for comment.