Orbex to provide D-Orbit with two Prime launches
Above: (left to right) Renato Panesi, Chief Commercial Officer & Founder, D-Orbit and Phil Chambers, CEO of Orbex.
Courtesy Orbex
The partnership marks a significant milestone for Orbex and underscores its readiness for commercial launch services.
Under the agreement, D-Orbit will have access to two launches aboard Orbex Prime, the company’s environmentally-friendly micro-launcher, over the course of the next three years.
D-Orbit offers logistics services to the space market, for example by transporting satellites once in orbit and releasing them individually into distinct orbital slots and testing hosted payloads in space. It also supplies satellite operators with storage capacity and advanced computing capabilities while in orbit.
Jonathan Firth, Chief Corporate Development Officer at D-Orbit, said: "We are very pleased to have signed this agreement with Orbex, further strengthening our commitment to the thriving UK space ecosystem. We continuously explore new ways to enhance our offering and deliver in-orbit services to our customers.
"Orbex Prime’s missions will provide valuable insights into the UK’s orbital launch capabilities and expand our portfolio of orbital launch solutions. It is an exciting time to be part of the UK space industry and we look forward to contributing to its continued growth and innovation."
Orbex is developing an advanced, low-carbon, high-performance micro-launcher, called Orbex Prime. Initial launches will take place from SaxaVord Spaceport, where Orbex has a dedicated launch pad and the ability to launch 10 flights per year.
Phil Chambers, CEO at Orbex, said: “Our primary goal is to support the European space industry by offering flexible and sustainable satellite launch options direct from the UK. This customer agreement with D-Orbit is a testament to the technological progress we are making and proves the confidence that commercial space operators have in our plans. We look forward to working together.”
Matt Archer, the UK Space Agency Director of Launch, ISAM and Space Sustainability, said: "This agreement between Orbex and D-Orbit demonstrates the growing commercial interest in UK launch, as we count down to the first rockets lifting off from SaxaVord spaceport. D-Orbit’s technology will play a key role in advancing in-orbit logistics, making satellite missions more efficient and sustainable.
"The UK Space Agency will continue to support Orbex as it moves towards its first launch, strengthening our position as a leading European destination for sustainable spaceflight - creating jobs, growth and innovation across the space sector in the process.”
