BREAKING: Orbex Moves to SaxaVord Abandons Sutherland Spaceport

Orbex announced launch operations move and a new vision for both small and MEDIUM launch vehicles.

Orbex have announced that they are moving operations from Sutherland Spaceport to SaxaVord.

In a press release, Orbex announced that it was diverting funding and focus from the development of its launch site. Instead, the company will use facilities underway at SaxaVord Spaceport. The changes will allow Orbex to return to its primary mission as a launch vehicle manufacturer. This includes both the small-launch Prime vehicle and a medium lift vehicle called Proxima.

The move to Unst

Phil Chambers, CEO of Orbex, said: “Orbex is first and foremost a launch services specialist. Our primary goal is to support the European space industry by achieving a sustainable series of satellite launches into low Earth orbit. This is best achieved by focusing our resources and talents on developing launch vehicles and associated launch services. This decision will help us to reach first launch in 2025 and provides SaxaVord with another customer to further strengthen its commercial proposition. It’s a win-win for UK and Scottish space.”

A new medium lift launcher and new questions

Orbex joins Germany’s Rocket Factory Augsburg and HyImpulse along with U.S giant Lockheed Martin and Scotland’s own Skyrora at the spaceport. The Orbex announcement puts the spotlight onto a question regarding SaxaVord’s launch capabilities.

Orbex plans to focus on two launch systems. These are the Prime, already under development, which can launch up to 200kg into space, depending on the orbit. No details are available as of yet on the company’s website regarding the medium launch vehicle.

Prime will launch from SaxaVord. The spaceport gives varying impressions, though, as to its ability to handle the larger rocket. On the one hand, the spaceport’s website says:

SaxaVord has secured Spaceport and Range licences from the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) for our site, which is designed for small rockets delivering payloads into low earth orbit.

However, other web pages mention launches of payloads up to 1000kg, and Lockheed Martin was at one point, at least, looking for launches up to 1500kg. The situation may be resolved only in the future, as Orbex told Orbital Today: “We are in the early stages of development of Proxima and we will review the launch facility criteria as the project advances.”

Though Orbex are moving launch operations, they are keeping the Sutherland site and will make decisions about next moves in the future.