UK’s First Homegrown Rocket Launch Nears Reality with £20M Investment – 3DPrint.com

A UK-built rocket launching into space from British soil could finally happen soon. The UK has been working toward this for over a decade. In 2017, the government ramped up efforts, funding a spaceport development at SaxaVord in Shetland and Spaceport Cornwall. A major attempt to launch small satellites from home soil came in January 2023 when Virgin Orbit tried to launch from Cornwall, but it failed. Now, Orbex is taking the lead. The only UK-owned orbital launch company, Orbex, has received a £20 million ($24.7 million) investment from the UK Government and a major new customer agreement with space logistics leader D-Orbit. With its growing portfolio, Orbex hopes to become Europe’s go-to company for small satellite launches.

Orbex Prime rocket. Image courtesy of Orbex.

For the first time in decades, the UK Government has directly invested in a UK-built orbital rocket company. The £20 million investment, part of Orbex’s Series D fundraising, is the UK’s strongest commitment yet to building a sustainable, homegrown rocket launch industry. In total, the Series D round has now raised £23 million (28.4 million), with additional support from investors like Denmark’s Export & Investment Fund (EIFO), Octopus Ventures, and angel investor Sohaib Abbasi.

This investment promises to strengthen the UK’s role in the commercial space industry, creating high-tech jobs and drawing global investment. At the core of this effort is Orbex’s Prime rocket, a 19-meter, two-stage launcher that can carry small satellites into Low Earth Orbit (LEO) with a far smaller carbon footprint than similar rockets.

While much of Europe’s space activity still relies on international partnerships, Orbex wants to prove that Britain can do it alone. Its rockets, designed and built in the UK, will launch from SaxaVord Spaceport, the UK’s northernmost spaceport and one of the most promising launch sites in Europe. The company has already secured two active patents across multiple countries and is setting the stage for Britain’s long-term presence in the global space industry.

Unlike conventional rockets that burn through fossil fuels, the Prime rocket is powered by bio-propane, a renewable biofuel that reduces carbon emissions. That means every Orbex launch could have a much smaller environmental footprint than similar rockets. Orbex’s sustainability gives it a competitive edge, especially in the European market, where space sustainability is becoming a major priority.

The company also uses advanced technologies like 3D printing, improving accuracy and speed while reducing waste. This approach is evident in how Orbex builds several parts of its rocket. For example, the Prime rocket’s engines are each created from a single piece using an AMCM M4K 3D printer. This method eliminates the need for welds, bolts, or flanges, reducing potential failure points and material waste.

Orbex also uses 3D printing for most propulsion subsystems and the structural components of the rocket, including its tanks and mainframe. These are constructed using advanced carbon fiber materials, which offer superior strength at a fraction of the weight of traditional materials and are crucial for maintaining the low mass needed for spaceflight. Furthermore, the in-house production capabilities allow for rapid prototyping and modifications, which are essential in a field where every gram and every second count.

Phil Chambers, CEO at Orbex; Peter Kyle, Secretary of State for the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology; and Orbex Chair Miguel Bello Mora. Image courtesy of Orbex Space.

Beyond government backing, fellow private space companies are also turning to Orbex. The company just signed a deal with the Italian-based business D-Orbit, which is a leader in in-orbit logistics and satellite transportation. Under the agreement, D-Orbit UK will have access to two Orbex Prime launches over the next three years.

D-Orbit specializes in transporting satellites once they’re already in space, moving them to their precise destinations, and testing hosted payloads. Teaming up with Orbex will allow it to gain access to a flexible, low-carbon launch service from UK soil.

Phil Chambers, CEO at Orbex, and Jonathan Firth, Chief Corporate Development Officer at D-Orbit. Image courtesy of Orbex Space.

“This first-of-a-kind investment by the UK government demonstrates its confidence in the UK’s space rocket manufacturing and launch sector and is an exciting start to the opening of our Series D fundraising,” said Orbex CEO Phillip Chambers. “We are entering the final preparations to deliver the most flexible and environmentally sustainable launch services to the global satellite industry. This investment paves the way not only for us to launch our first rocket this year but also to develop a larger rocket to enable us to compete in the European Launcher Challenge. These development goals are crucial to our longer-term development.”

That flexibility is key. While some launch providers offer rigid schedules and one-size-fits-all solutions, Orbex is building a service that caters to the needs of satellite operators. With the new backing, the company is now planning its first orbital launch, which will happen by the end of 2025.

Technology Secretary Peter Kyle pointed out: “By investing £20 million in this rocket launch, we are not only helping the country to become a leading destination for small satellite launches in Europe but bringing highly skilled jobs and investment to communities and organizations across the UK.”

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With its Series D funding round still open, Orbex is actively seeking more investors to help fuel its next phase of growth. The company is already planning a larger rocket beyond Prime, aiming to compete in the European Launcher Challenge, a competition designed to spur innovation in the continent’s space launch sector.

With SaxaVord Spaceport expected to handle up to ten launches per year, Orbex could be at the forefront of a new era in UK spaceflight. The countdown to Britain’s first homegrown orbital launch has officially begun.