$24M secure the roadmap to first launch of composites-intensive Orbex Prime rocket from Sutherland spaceport in Scotland. The funding round was led by BGF (London) and Octopus Ventures (London). This adds up to the £5.5 million in grant funding from the U.K. Space Agency’s Launch UK program in 2018.
The launch vehicle boasts a 3D-printed rocket engine manufactured in a single piece without joins in partnership with additive manufacturer SLM Solutions (Lübeck, Germany). The vehicle is also built out of graphene-enhanced carbon fiber composites for the main structures and tanks. Furthermore, the rocket is designed to be recoverable and re-usable, leaving no debris.