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Orbex has secured a £20m investment from the UK Government to support the launch of its Prime rocket from SaxaVord Spaceport in Scotland later this year. This marks a significant shift in government support, moving beyond grants to acquiring a stake in the company’s future.
Prime is a small two-stage rocket capable of carrying payloads of up to 180kg into low Earth orbit. Alongside Prime, Orbex is developing a larger medium-class rocket called Proxima, though its target payload capacity has not been disclosed.
The investment is expected to bolster Orbex’s position in the European Launcher Challenge, an initiative supporting sovereign European launch capabilities. With the UK’s participation, the government aims to establish a domestic medium-lift launch capacity, reinforcing its space ambitions.
