Tag: United Kingdom
-
NRO Awards First Contracts to Commercial Space Firms Under New Procurement Program
The U.S. National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) has awarded its first three contracts under a new procurement program aimed at expanding access to commercial satellite intelligence capabilities, Deputy Director Maj. Gen. Christopher Povak said on Thursday. Speaking at the National Security Space Association’s Defense and Intelligence Space Conference, Povak said the contracts were issued through the…
-
UK Space Agency Chief Paul Bate to Step Down at End of March
UK Space Agency chief executive Paul Bate will step down from his role at the end of March, ending a four-and-a-half-year tenure during which the agency secured record funding commitments and expanded its astronaut and science programmes. The agency said in a post on LinkedIn that under Bate’s leadership it had “secured record investment at…
-
Orbex’s Danish Unit to File for Bankruptcy as Operations Wind Down
Orbex’s Danish subsidiary, Orbital Express Launch ApS, is set to file for bankruptcy after closing its facilities on Jan. 20, resulting in the loss of around 90 jobs, according to people familiar with the matter. UK-based small-launch developer Orbex established the Danish business in October 2016. Based in Copenhagen, Orbital Express Launch ApS supported group-wide…
-
UK Rocket Builder Orbex in Talks to Sell Business to The Exploration Company
UK-based rocket manufacturer Orbex said it has signed a letter of intent to sell its business to European space logistics startup The Exploration Company, marking a potential consolidation move within Europe’s emerging launch sector. Orbex confirmed on Jan. 21 that negotiations have begun but said all details of the proposed transaction remain confidential. The company…
-
OQ Technology, Eseye Partner to Deliver Global 5G IoT Connectivity via Satellite and Cellular Networks
OQ Technology said it has formed a partnership with U.K.-based Eseye to provide seamless, global 5G Internet of Things connectivity by integrating satellite and terrestrial networks through a single SIM solution. Announced on Jan. 20, the collaboration combines OQ Technology’s low-Earth orbit satellite constellation with Eseye’s AnyNet Connectivity Hub, creating what the companies describe as…
-
Acme Space to Test Balloon-Rocket Hybrid Vehicle in 2026 Ahead of Orbital Manufacturing Plans
London-based Acme Space said it plans to begin flight testing its balloon-rocket hybrid launch vehicle in the new year, as it prepares for commercial in-orbit manufacturing missions targeted for 2027. The company said it is already working with two unnamed pharmaceutical firms to develop protein crystal growth payloads for its first operational flights. The vehicle,…
-
UK Startup B2Space Completes Key Rockoon Launch Test in Canary Islands
Welsh launch startup B2Space has completed a major test of its rockoon launch system, which uses a high-altitude balloon to lift a small rocket before ignition. The Newport-based company, founded in 2016, is developing the system to provide low-cost orbital access for small satellites. In an update on 17 November, B2Space said it carried out…
-
Start of construction paves way for first UK mainland vertical launch
The ground-breaking ceremony to mark the start of construction was attended by a number of officials, including (from left): Richard Lochhead, Minister for Small Business, Innovation & Trade, Scottish Government; Kristian von Bengtson, Chief Development Officer & Interim CEO, Orbex; Dorothy Pritchard, Chair, Melness Crofters’ Estate; Bart Markus, Chairman, Orbex; Ian Annett, Deputy CEO, UK…
-
Experimental British satellite tests harpoon in orbit
A British satellite released from the International Space Station last year has successfully demonstrated a harpoon that could be used on future missions to clean up space debris, officials announced Friday. The harpoon fired out of the RemoveDebris spacecraft Feb. 8, striking a target plate extended from the satellite on a 4.9-foot (1.5-meter) boom. The…
-
Exoplanet telescope selected as ESA’s next space science mission
Artist’s concept of the ARIEL space telescope. Credit: UCL A mission to investigate the atmospheres of planets around other stars has been selected by the European Space Agency for launch in the late 2020s, officials announced this week. The space telescope will observe 1,000 exoplanets, using a spectrometer to measure the chemical make-up of their…