Orbex Sets Up London Base And Expands Headquarters

23rd July 2024

Leading orbital launch services company, Orbex, is to set up a base in London while also expanding its headquarters in Scotland.

Orbex will become the first UK rocket manufacturer to establish a base in London. The new office will enable Orbex to connect with London's financial communities with greater ease while growing the UK's reputation as a hub for the European space sector.

In tandem with this, Orbex is also expanding its facilities at its headquarters in Forres, northern Scotland. The plans will allow for more space for the team to develop its rocket, Orbex Prime, which has been engineered to leave zero debris in orbit. The facilities will grow by 400m2 and mean the company can facilitate more growth to their engineering teams in roles such as design, analysis, planning and testing.

Phil Chambers, CEO of Orbex said: "Orbex is one of only two space rocket manufacturers in the UK, and the only one to also operate its own spaceport. We are entering a critical phase of development and require greater facilities to develop the crucial technology required to make the UK a hub for European orbital launch.

"Establishing a base in London and growing our facilities in Forres is another huge milestone for us. We need the right capabilities to develop Orbex Prime, and the right boots on the ground in London to engage with current and new stakeholders and investors."

Matt Archer, Director of Launch at the UK Space Agency, said: "This is a significant expansion for Orbex, which demonstrates how the growing launch sector is creating high-quality jobs across the UK. These strategic moves will help accelerate innovation, increase investment opportunities, and ultimately support the company in its mission to become a leading provider of launch services.

"We continue to work closely with the team at Orbex as it ramps up development of its Prime rocket and the Sutherland spaceport."

Orbex has recently announced it has received £16.7m from six backers as it begins its Series D funding round. With pre-launch testing underway, the funding will help Orbex ramp up the development of Prime, its 19-metre long, two-stage rocket designed to transport small satellites into Low Earth Orbit. The aim is to ensure full readiness and scalability for its launch period.

Orbex is expected to move into its new facilities in June. The London office will be located on Theobalds Road, London WC1X 8PL.

Next Steps Over the Coming Months
Looking ahead, the momentum at Sutherland Spaceport shows no sign of slowing down. In the coming months, our focus will be on the continued construction of the floating road, which will connect the Launch Services Integration Facility and the Launch Pad locations together. We are also gearing up to begin the construction of the Launch Pad area, getting ever closer to delivering our mission to launch satellites into orbit direct from Scotland!