Scotland has a proud industrial heritage - from textiles and medicine to mining and shipbuilding. This small country helped shape the Industrial Revolution and today still boasts not only some of the world’s best universities but some of the world's smartest minds when it comes to 21st century technologies such as life sciences and the digital field - including app design and gaming.
But it is the space technology sector which is the unsung hero on the modern Scottish economy. The combination of work ethic and education which our most skilled citizens offer to the world has been the catalyst for the emergence of a space tech sector which has skyrocketed in the last few years.
As the director of US satellite company Spire Global says in today’s Sunday Herald, we know how to get things built. Nearly two centuries on from the death of James Watt, the father of steam, we still have the smarts to lead the world in cutting edge science, skills and tech.
Scotland is now the undisputed space technology capital of Europe, with a satellite-development sector that employs upwards of 7,000 people.
Multinational satellite companies are relocating operations to Scotland, and home-grown firms are leaders in their field.
Bids are also in for UK government cash to build Scotland’s first spaceport which will cement our reputation as a global leader in space technology.
At a time of economic uncertainly as Brexit looms, Scotland's space tech success story is one that should be celebrated loudly.
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