The UK Space Agency has welcomed news that the British rocket
company Orbex has unveiled the first full-scale prototype of its
Prime orbital space rocket.
Orbex’s Prime rocket reaching technical readiness represents a
significant achievement that brings together key elements of the
ground infrastructure and prototype launch vehicle for the first
time and is a major step forward for the company and for the UK
launch industry.
The UK Space Agency supported the development of Orbex’s Prime
rocket with £5.5 million of funding, as part of the government’s
plans to enable small satellite launch from UK spaceports.
With the first integration of a full scale Orbex prototype launch
vehicle on a launch pad now complete, the company will enter a
period of integrated testing, allowing dress rehearsals of rocket
launches and the development and optimisation of launch
procedures.
Orbex recently revealed their first test launch platform at a new
test facility in Kinloss, a few miles from the company’s
headquarters at Forres in Moray, Scotland.
Science Minister said:
This is a hugely exciting time for the UK space and satellite
sector as we count down to the first satellite launches from UK
spaceports later this summer. Orbex Prime is a remarkable feat of
engineering from a British rocket company, pioneering more
sustainable and innovative fuels that cut carbon emissions.
It is also fantastic to see Moray-based Orbex creating more
high-quality jobs, demonstrating the value of our thriving space
sector to support emerging clusters of innovation to help level
up the whole of the UK.
Orbex Prime will launch from Space Hub Sutherland, a new
spaceport on the North Coast of Scotland. Space Hub Sutherland
was the first vertical spaceport to receive planning permission
in the UK and has committed to being carbon-neutral, both in its
construction and operation.
Ian Annett, Deputy CEO of the UK Space Agency, said:
We are on the cusp of an historic moment, with Orbex playing a
leading role in generating a brand-new launch capability in the
UK, while creating opportunities for people and businesses across
the country. I can’t wait to see Prime lift off from Space Hub
Sutherland.
Space Hub
Sutherland is one of seven potential spaceport sites across
the UK and is being developed by Highlands and Islands
Enterprise. The spaceport is expected to generate around 60 jobs
in Caithness and Sutherland, and more than 600 jobs in the wider
region.
The UK already has a thriving space sector, employing 47,000 people
and generating an income of £16.5 billion. The government’s
National Space
Strategy set out plans for the UK to be the leading country
in Europe to offer small satellite manufacturers a direct end to
end route to launch, building on our leading small satellite
industry. Harnessing the opportunities provided by commercial
spaceflight will create high skilled jobs and local opportunities
around UK spaceports.
Josef Aschbacher, Director General of the European Space Agency,
said:
I am deeply impressed with the speed at which the Orbex Prime
rocket was developed. It is the first full orbital micro-launcher
in Europe. But I am equally impressed by the low-carbon footprint
technology applied. My sincere congratulations to the whole Orbex
team for this impressive achievement.
Orbex Prime is a 19-metre long, two-stage rocket that is powered
by seven engines, that is being designed and manufactured in the
UK and Denmark. The six rocket engines on the first stage of the
rocket will propel the vehicle through the atmosphere to an
altitude of around 80km. The single engine on the second stage of
the rocket will complete the journey to Low Earth Orbit (LEO),
allowing the release of its payload of small, commercial
satellites into Earth’s orbit.
Chris Larmour, CEO, Orbex, said:
This is a major milestone for Orbex and highlights just how far
along our development path we now are. From the outside, it might
look like an ordinary rocket, but on the inside, Prime is unlike
anything else. To deliver the performance and environmental
sustainability we wanted from a 21st century rocket we had to
innovate in a wide number of areas – low-carbon fuels, fully
3D-printed rocket engines, very lightweight fuel tanks, and a
novel, low-mass reusability technology.
Find out more by visiting the Orbex
website
Read a recent
blog from the UK Space Agency’s CEO Dr Paul Bate following a
visit to Orbex and Space Hub Sutherland.
