Orbex#Prime

The company was founded in 2015 as Moonspike Ltd., with the goal of crowdfunding a private spacecraft mission to the Moon.{{cite web |last=Howell |first=Elizabeth |url=https://www.space.com/30712-moonspike-private-moon-rocket-kickstarter-campaign.html |title='Moonspike' Kickstarter Project Aims to Crowdfund Rocket to the Moon |work=Space.com |date=1 October 2015 |access-date=23 August 2020}} A Kickstarter campaign running from 1 October to 1 November 2015 raised less than £79,000 out of a goal of £600,000, rendering Moonspike ineligible for the funds.{{cite web |last=Foust |first=Jeff |url=https://spacenews.com/european-moon-venture-regroups-after-failed-crowdfunding-bid/ |title=European Moon Venture Regroups After Failed Crowdfunding Bid |work=SpaceNews |date=2 November 2015 |access-date=23 August 2020}} Moonspike was renamed Orbital Express Launch Ltd. in 2016, with the company now aiming to provide commercial launch services of nano- and microsatellites, especially CubeSats, to polar and Sun-synchronous low Earth orbits.{{cite web |url=https://orbitaltoday.com/2019/11/11/people-in-space-kristian-von-bengtson-the-man-behind-orbex/ |title=People In Space: Kristian Von Bengtson, The Man Behind Orbex |work=Orbital Today |date=11 November 2019 |access-date=23 August 2020}} In July 2018, Orbex secured £30 million in public and private funding for the development of its orbital rocket system, named Prime.[https://spacenews.com/orbex-stakes-claim-to-european-smallsat-launch-market/ Orbex stakes claim to European smallsat launch market]. Jeff Foust, Space News. July 18, 2018.[https://orbex.space/news/orbex-secures-30-million-funding-for-uk-space-launch-vehicles Orbex Secures £30 Million Funding for UK Space Launch Vehicles]. Orbex. 16 July 2018. In October 2022 Orbex closed a £40.4 million Series C funding round.{{cite web |last=Foust |first=Jeff |url=https://spacenews.com/orbex-raises-series-c-round/ |title=Orbex raises Series C round |work=SpaceNews |date=18 October 2022 |access-date=24 October 2022}}{{cite web |last=Parsonson |first=Andrew |url=https://europeanspaceflight.com/orbex-announces-40-4-million-series-c-funding-round/ |title=Orbex announces £40.4 million Series C funding round |work=European Spaceflight |date=18 October 2022 |access-date=4 February 2023}} Orbex has opened a factory for Prime in Forres, Scotland that employs 150 people. Currently, the company is working on developing the Prime vehicle, while preparing for the initial launch from SaxaVord Spaceport.

Orbex initially intended to share the Sutherland spaceport in northern Scotland with Lockheed Martin, who at the time did not have a launch vehicle, but their strategic shareholding in Rocket Lab led to speculation that they would launch with the Rocket Lab Electron rocket, but since the two vehicles (Electron and Prime) use different propellants, the two companies would have separate launch pads while sharing some common infrastructure. The planning application for the site, however, includes only one launchpad. Lockheed Martin then moved their launch plans to a competing site, SaxaVord Spaceport, in the Shetland Isles.[https://spaceflightnow.com/2018/07/16/scotland-site-selected-as-launch-base-for-lockheed-martin-orbex/Scotland site selected as launch base for Lockheed Martin, Orbex.] Stephen Clark, Spaceflight Now. 16 July 2018.{{cite news| url=https://www.theguardian.com/science/2018/jul/16/rocket-men-locals-divided-over-plans-for-uks-first-spaceport| title=Rocket men: locals divided over plans for UK's first spaceport|author=Severin Carrell |author2=Steven Morris |author3=Ian Sample | date=16 July 2018| work=The Guardian}} Orbex also plans to launch from a future spaceport in the Portuguese Azores.{{cite news| url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/jonathanocallaghan/2018/12/21/the-little-rocket-company-that-doesnt-want-to-be-the-new-spacex/#6efe89d8d2ba| title=The Quiet Rocket Startup That Doesn't Want To Be The New SpaceX| author=Jonathan O'Callaghan| date=21 December 2018| work=Forbes}}{{cite conference| url=http://esamultimedia.esa.int/docs/space_transportation/AZUL-ESA_Workshop-Export.pdf| title=AZµL - AZores Micro Launcher |author=Deimos Elecnor Group |author2=Orbex| date=6 November 2018| publisher=ESA|conference=ESA Micro-Launch Services Workshop| conference-url=http://www.esa.int/Our_Activities/Space_Transportation/Microlaunchers_new_ways_to_access_space}}

In April 2024, it was reported that the company received $20.7 million in a Series D funding round, with the bulk of the funds going towards development of the Prime launch vehicle.{{Cite web |last=Alamalhodaei |first=Aria |date=2024-04-18 |title=Orbex's new funding may accelerate its Prime microlauncher into orbit |url=https://techcrunch.com/2024/04/18/orbexs-new-funding-may-accelerate-its-prime-microlauncher-into-orbit/ |access-date=2024-04-19 |website=TechCrunch |language=en-US}} In November 2024, Orbex announced that the first launch of Prime would be conducted from SaxaVord Spaceport instead of Sutherland.

{{Infobox rocket

|image = Orbex Prime rocket second stage.jpg

|caption = Second stage engineering prototype of the Prime orbital rocket

|name = Prime

|function = Small payloads to low Earth orbit

|manufacturer = Orbex

|country-origin = United Kingdom

|height = {{cvt|19|m}}

|diameter = {{cvt|1.45|m}}

|mass = {{cvt|18000|kg}}

|stages = 2

|capacities =

{{Infobox rocket/payload

|location = SSO ({{cvt|500|km|disp=or}})

|kilos = {{cvt|180|kg}}

}}

|comparable = Shavit 2, Kaituozhe-1, Unha, Electron, Miura 5

|status = Under development

|sites = SaxaVord Spaceport
Sutherland spaceport (proposed)
Azores spaceport (proposed)

|first = 2025 (planned)

|stagedata =

{{Infobox rocket/stage

|type = stage

|stageno = First

|diameter = {{convert|1.45|m|abbr=on}}

|engines = 6

|fuel = LOX / bioLPG

}}

{{Infobox rocket/stage

|type = stage

|stageno = Second

|diameter = {{convert|1.45|m|abbr=on}}

|engines = 1

|fuel = LOX / bioLPG

}}

}}

Orbex is currently developing a light launch vehicle called Prime, and its booster (first stage) is planned to be reusable.{{cite web |url=https://orbex.space/launch-vehicle |title=Orbex Prime Micro-Launcher |work=Orbex |access-date=24 October 2022}} The rocket's diameter is {{cvt|1.45|m}},{{cite web | url=https://orbex.space/launch-vehicle | title=Satellite Launch Vehicle | Orbex Prime Micro-Launcher | Orbex }} and will use a non-toxic bi-propellant consisting of liquid oxygen and propane. One cited advantage of using propane is that it remains liquid at cryogenic temperatures, which enables a design where a central carbon-fibre tank of propane is surrounded by an outer tank of liquid oxygen, creating a light structural mass. First stage reuse is planned to be achieved by a combination of a parachute and four ‘petals’ which will fold out prior to atmospheric reentry to induce drag and passively reorient the vehicle.{{cite web |last1=Frizzell |first1=Niamh |last2=Povey |first2=Sian |title=Patent secured for 'petal fold' reusable rocket technology |url=https://orbex.space/news/patent-secured-for-petal-fold-reusable-rocket-technology |website=Orbex |publisher=Orbital Express Launch Ltd |access-date=27 March 2024}} It will be capable of launching payloads up to {{convert|150|kg}} to a standard 500 km Sun-synchronous orbit.{{cite web |last=Berger |first=Eric |author-link=Eric Berger (meteorologist) |url=https://arstechnica.com/science/2018/07/britain-joins-the-microlaunch-space-race-with-a-new-rocket-and-spaceport/ |title=Britain joins the microlaunch space race with a new rocket and spaceport |work=Ars Technica |date=16 July 2018 |access-date=24 October 2022}}

The maiden flight of Prime is expected to occur in late 2025, subject to the availability of SaxaVord Spaceport and a Civil Aviation Authority launch licence,{{cite news |url=https://spaceflightnow.com/2022/05/30/uk-launched-rocket-promises-to-transform-microsatellite-launch-business/ |title=UK-launched rocket promises to transform microsatellite launch business |last=Clark |first=Stephen |publisher=Spaceflight Now |date=30 May 2022 |access-date=31 May 2022}} for Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd.{{cite press release |url=https://www.sstl.co.uk/media-hub/latest-news/2019/world%E2%80%99s-leading-smallsat-manufacturer-sstl-partner |title=World's Leading SmallSat Manufacturer, SSTL, Partners with Orbex for UK Launches |work=SSTL |date=7 February 2019 |access-date=17 June 2021 |archive-date=12 August 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200812130748/https://www.sstl.co.uk/media-hub/latest-news/2019/world%E2%80%99s-leading-smallsat-manufacturer-sstl-partner |url-status=dead }} Orbex also announced it was chosen by nanosatellite startup Astrocast to launch their communications satellites.{{Cite news |last=Dickie |first=Mure |url=https://www.ft.com/content/afe17568-2af8-11e9-a5ab-ff8ef2b976c7 |title=Rocket company starts countdown on space base in Scotland |date=7 February 2019 |work=Financial Times |access-date=8 February 2019}}

• Skyrora, another British launch service provider
• Rocket Lab, a US and New Zealand based smallsat launch provider
• Black Arrow, a retired British rocket
• PLD Space, another European smallsat launcher based in Spain
• Private spaceflight

{{reflist}}

{{Orbital launch systems}}

{{Reusable launch systems}}

Category:Microsatellite launch vehicles

Category:Private spaceflight companies

Category:Space launch vehicles of the United Kingdom