UK-based Snowdonia Aerospace Centre has supported a bid to establish the country’s first commercial spaceport in Llanbedr, Gwynedd, Wales.

Backed by Aerospace Wales, QinetiQ and the Welsh Government, the bid also aims to provide frequent and low-cost access to space from the UK by 2020.

The Snowdonia Aerospace Centre has already started receiving interest from various private satellite launch service providers.

Last month, delegations from Snowdonia Aerospace Centre, Aerospace Wales, QinetiQ and the Welsh Government participated in the Space Agency event held in London to reinforce their support of making Llanbedr as a commercial spaceflight site.

“The past 18 months have been about creating the right operating environment and establishing a world-class facility."

Snowdonia Aerospace Centre chief executive Lee Paul said: “The past 18 months have been about creating the right operating environment and establishing a world-class facility.

“Completing the first phase of investment has prepared us for the future and we hope that new developments in 2017 and beyond will mean that Snowdonia Aerospace Centre is even more appealing to worldwide investment.”

Gwynedd Council in Wales, UK, is planning to submit plans to Snowdonia National Park Authority for improved site access to Llanbedr.

Once approved, it will help attracting further investment and development to the site.

Aerospace Wales CEO John Whalley said: “Our coastal location, unrivalled segregated airspace, unique in the UK, and low level of aircraft movements make Snowdonia Aerospace Centre a very strong contender for a UK spaceport.

“It meets all the key criteria, and its relatively central location in the UK also makes it the most easily accessible to organisations across the whole of the UK.”

In addition, the UK Space Agency has invited bid from enterprises for a £10m grant to help develop spaceflight capabilities, including building spaceport infrastructure in the country.