A community-owned airbase in Machrihanish in Kintyre has launched its official bid to be named the UK government’s first spaceport.

The airbase, once rumoured to be a base for top secret UFO investigations and has already served as an emergency landing site for a US space shuttle, has citied the previous support of Virgin Galactic and the advantage of its 3000ft runway, the only of the shortlisted sites to currently meet the runway criteria.

Three of the five shortlisted sites are in Scotland, including Scottish Government-owned Prestwick Airport and Stornoway. RAF Leuchars is being considered as a potential temporary facility.

Officially launched its bid, Campbeltown’s Discover Space UK said the site is the only shortlisted candidate already twice approved for space flight.

The community-owned airbase in Machrihanish in Kintyre is nicknamed ‘the UK’s Area 51’ following rumours it was previously used by the US Airforce to test secret aircraft which led to repeated attested sightings of apparent UFOs.

Tom Miller, chairman of Machrihanish Airbase Community Company (MACC) and director of Discover Space UK, said: “Machrihanish has a long-history with space flight, going back to the launch of NASA’s Space Shuttle in 1981.

“Machrihanish was an emergency landing site for the shuttle in Europe, with our 3,049m runway long enough to welcome the shuttle and get it airborne again aboard a Boeing 747 Shuttle Carrier Aircraft.

“Then in 2009, the last time the UK looked at establishing a spaceport, Virgin Galactic said Machrihanish was one of its preferred sites for the UK spaceport.

“That’s not our only connection to the stars. Paul McCartney’s Mull of Kintyre estate is just 15 minutes from the base and the airbase itself was rumoured to have been used for testing top secret aircraft - so it’s only fitting that Machrihanish Airbase leads the way by becoming the UK’s first spaceport.”

The UK government wants to establish the UK’s first spaceport by 2018, with sites in Newquay and Wales also in the running.

The preferred location is expected to be announced later this year.