SaxaVord Spotlight: Get to know Patrick Bell
What is your job title?
Lawyer
What does a day in your life look like?
What is your favourite thing about SaxaVord?
What 3 words would you use to describe saxavord?
No 2 days are the same - there is always something new and interesting to deal with. Today we are looking at the use of Boundary Boats to patrol the Launch Exclusion Zone and we may also use Drones to cover this requirement.
Its the only Spaceport in the UK!
Mindblowing, incredible, historic
What does your job title mean?
I look after the commercial agreements that the Spaceport enters into with Clients (Rocket Companies) and other businesses including Satellite companies
What job did you think you'd be doing when you finished school?
Dentist
Fun Questions
Fun Questions
What is your favourite space book, film or song?
Rocket Man
If you were going to space what 3 things would you take?
Mark Oliver Everett (E from Eels)
Who is your biggest inspiration?
Golf Clubs, Mountain Bike and Chess Set
SaxaVord Spotlight: Get to know Russ Webster
What is your job title?
Range Safety Manager
What does your job title mean?
I try to keep everyone - including their houses, farms and animals - as safe as possible by getting my team to watch cameras and screens on lots of computers to make sure the rockets are doing what they are supposed to be doing. If it looks like there is going to be a problem, I am in charge of pressing the button that can destroy the rocket before anyone gets hurt.
What job did you think you'd be doing when you finished school?
I worked on a farm in Yorkshire and I always wanted to join the Army. I never thought the skills and things I learnt in the Army would make me ideal for a Space job.
Fun Questions
Fun Questions
What is your favourite space book, film or song?
Interstellar
My Grandad
Who is your biggest inspiration?
What does a day in your life look like?
What is your favourite thing about SaxaVord?
What 3 words would you use to describe saxavord?
I have two types of days: normal days and launch days. Normal days are spent in the office getting people and equipment ready for launches.
Launch days start very early, sometimes in the dark, especially in winter in Shetland. We carry out lots of safety checks with the rocket teams and my own team to make sure the air, sea and land around north Unst are safe for everyone. We also closely monitor the weather, especially the wind, and launch weather balloons beforehand.
Once everything is ready, it needs to be very quiet in Range Control so we can stay focused on keeping everyone safe.
The people here are awesome. We all share a dream to help Unst, Scotland and the UK become great at space, and everyone plays an important part. From rocket experts to catering and cleaning teams, teamwork is what makes it work.
Friendly. Helpful. Willing.
If you were going to space what 3 things would you take?
Toothbrush. Wet wipes. Phone (for gaming).
SaxaVord Spotlight: Get to know Ian Palmer
What is your job title?
Director of Operations
What does your job title mean?
From people to processes to the equipment that mysteriously disappears when you need it most! I make sure everything and everyone is in the right place for smooth, successful launches.
What job did you think you'd be doing when you finished school?
It pains me to admit it… but I originally wanted to be a Fast Jet Pilot. Fortunately, I was smart enough to make it into the RAF as an Armourer instead. After several years happily tinkering with explosives, weapons, and ejection seats on fast jets (all the fun stuff!), I eventually made it into the officer cadre as an Aircraft Systems Engineer.
Fun Questions
Fun Questions
What is your favourite space book, film or song?
The Martian
Not just one person...it's all those that have been pioneers in their field. The people that look at a blank map and thinks "well...someone's got to start somewhere".
Who is your biggest inspiration?
If you were going to space what 3 things would you take?
Family Photos, Camera, Potatoes (if you know you know)
What does a day in your life look like?
What is your favourite thing about SaxaVord?
What 3 words would you use to describe saxavord?
I’m lucky enough to split my time between Grantown-on-Spey and SaxaVord. In Grantown, you’ll usually find me hopping between meetings and phone calls, trying to absorb everything there is to know about Spaceports; being the “new boy on the block,” I’m still figuring out which buttons not to press. My mission is to make sure we’ve got the right people in the right place at the right time, doing the right things…with the right tools. (It’s a lot of “rights,” but I’m assured that’s a good thing).
When I’m up in Saxa, it’s a great chance to get out and about, see what’s happening on the ground, and work out how I can best support the team. The ratio of meetings to fresh air is heavily in favour of the fresh air, which I enjoy daily and intend to keep that way for as long as nobody catches me smiling about it.
That one’s easy… it’s the people! Everyone knows exactly what the mission is, and we’re all pulling in the same direction—like a well‑trained rowing team, just with fewer oars and more rocket parts. It definitely makes my life a bit easier, and I’m genuinely grateful to have such an amazing team up there.
Amazing, challenging, future
SaxaVord Spotlight: Get to know Iona Leask
What is your job title?
Operations Programmes Coordinator
What does your job title mean?
My job title is the fancy term for "cat herder". I pull together different programmes for the Operations Team and make sure everyone knows what they're doing, where they're doing it, and when they're doing it.
What job did you think you'd be doing when you finished school?
I had originally planned to work in the performing arts industry managing music festivals or theatre shows. In some ways, what I do now is quite similar - it's just the end result that is different!
What does a day in your life look like?
What is your favourite thing about SaxaVord?
What 3 words would you use to describe saxavord?
I spend a lot of my time in front of my computer screens organising things via email and video calls. I also get to spend time at the Launch Site showing visitors around and taking part in training exercises such as radio training (learning how to use walkie talkies) or Safety Clear Zone training (learning how to keep people out of a hazardous area at the Launch Site so that no one gets hurt).
The people. I get to meet and work with lots of very interesting people from all over the world. It's inspiring and exciting.
Exciting. Inspiring. Unique.
Fun Questions
Fun Questions
What is your favourite space book, film or song?
Star Wars
My Grandad
Who is your biggest inspiration?
If you were going to space what 3 things would you take?
Chocolate, a phone to speak to friends and family, and a good book for bedtime.
SaxaVord Spotlight: Get to know Callum Filer
What is your job title?
Trainee Launch Campaign Assistant
What does your job title mean?
I help organise and prepare activities we need to do before a rocket launches from the spaceport.
What job did you think you'd be doing when you finished school?
I've been interested in all things space since I was very young, so I wanted to work in the space industry and now I am!
What does a day in your life look like?
What is your favourite thing about SaxaVord?
What 3 words would you use to describe saxavord?
I'll either be in the office working on various projects or out on the launch site carrying out jobs that are needed to move towards a rocket launch.
The great people I get to work with everyday and being able to work at the UK's first and only fully licensed vertical-launch spaceport!
Exciting, Dynamic and Friendly
Fun Questions
Fun Questions
What is your favourite space book, film or song?
Interstellar
Mr Phin - my physics teacher
Who is your biggest inspiration?
If you were going to space what 3 things would you take?
Potato seeds (The Martian), a telescope camera and glow-in-the-dark socks!
SaxaVord Spotlight: Get to know Nadine Armiger-Drake
What is your job title?
Spaceport Operations Manager
What does your job title mean?
It means i'm responsible for making sure our site, our buildings and our people are safe and well looked after, all year round.
What job did you think you'd be doing when you finished school?
I originally went into teaching overseas students, which I loved, but then I studied for a Masters in International Relations and worked in the Diplomatic Service making sure our critical UK assets were safe from hostile acts by other countries, for many years. I never once thought I would be able to work in the Space Sector, but there are so many roles and jobs that mean almost any kind of past experience has relevance somewhere in this industry. There really is room for everyone, so long as you're passionate about what you do!
Fun Questions
Fun Questions
What does a day in your life look like?
What is your favourite thing about SaxaVord?
What 3 words would you use to describe saxavord?
I start early, spending the morning on site with my Operations team making sure equipment and generators are working properly so rocket specialists can do their jobs. We also look after the site through the seasons, welcome new people with safety briefings, and make sure everyone is qualified for their role.
​
After lunch, the afternoon is usually meetings with people involved in launch planning and daily operations, from emergency services to local crofters and schools. I also support my team through training and appraisals, a bit like school reports.
​
At the end of the day, we eat together, I walk my two pugs, and spend the evening learning more about the space industry.
The friendly, welcoming people who work here. Everyone helps and supports each other, and there are some really fun events to join in with so we all get to know each other as well as the local community. Newcomers are warml welcomed by all!
Welcoming, Exciting, Futuristic
What is your favourite space book, film or song?
Hidden Figures (2016 Film based on a true story of pioneering female NASA mathematicians)
My two teenage daughters, who told me to take this job because i'd always regret it if I didn't (and because it's a super cool place to work).
Who is your biggest inspiration?
If you were going to space what 3 things would you take?
Camera phone; dry shampoo; Maltesers