Orbex’s UK manufacturing assets and IP acquired by Omnidea

European space technology group Omnidea has acquired the UK-based manufacturing assets and IP of Orbex (Orbital Express Launch Ltd). Omnidea will establish its UK operations at Orbex’s former manufacturing facility in Forres, Scotland. An initial team of ex-Orbex employees will join the business, with Omnidea planning to recruit further as the operation develops.

Omnidea was already working alongside Orbex as a partner in the European Space Agency’s European Launcher Challenge (ELC) and has been developing its own suborbital launcher programme with ESA for the past four years.

The Scottish operation will become Omnidea’s centre for structures development and fabrication and a hub for flight and ground-system electronics, complementing the Group’s existing expertise in propulsion, fluid systems and other critical space technologies.

While space will remain at the core of the operation, Omnidea will also explore opportunities to apply its technologies and engineering capabilities in other advanced technology markets.

Founded in Portugal, Omnidea is a space and technology group with operations in Europe and Australia. It has worked in the European space sector for over 20 years, developing technologies for propulsion and launcher systems, space-qualified fluid-control systems, satellite technologies and advanced engineering.

How a base in Scotland will support the UK’s aim of securing access to space

Photo: Omnidea

Sérgio da Cunha Oliveira (above), Vice President of Omnidea, who will lead its operations in the UK, said: “Omnidea has spent more than 20 years building advanced engineering and technology businesses. We see a strong fit between the capabilities we have acquired in Scotland and our existing operations.

“This acquisition means we can combine deep expertise in structures, electronics and advanced manufacturing with the propulsion and fluid-systems capability we have built up over more than two decades. Just as importantly, it gives us access to an established base of highly skilled talent and space expertise in the UK.

“Our priority now is to establish a strong and sustainable UK operation in Forres. As a Portuguese company, we’re proud to be contributing to Europe’s ambitions for independent access to space and to be growing that capability across Europe – and now from a UK base. We intend to build progressively, bringing investment, expertise and international connections to the UK as opportunities develop.”

Omnidea says it will proactively support the UK’s ambition to secure assured access to space and will continue to engage with all the relevant stakeholders and partners as its UK operations develop.

Orbex’s assets were purchased by Omnidea from Joint Administrators, Chad Griffin, Geoff Rowley and Graham Smith of FRP Advisory. The Orbex legal entity is not part of the acquisition, while the Kinloss Test Facility and Sutherland Spaceport assets are being acquired in separate deals.