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 the latest flight test from the Port of Vueltas in Valle Gran Rey in the Canary Islands. The balloon was launched at 4:00 CET and lifted the test rocket—described as a lower-power version of the commercial design—to an altitude of 21.5 kilometres. The rocket was then fired from the balloon-mounted rail system. CTO Valentin Canales told European Spaceflight the ignition system performed successfully but declined to share further details on the rocket’s condition. The company said all components were recovered after the test.
The objective of the demonstration was to validate alignment, ignition and other core subsystems of the integrated rockoon architecture. Canales said B2Space plans to repeat the test with a larger rocket in April 2026 and aims to conduct a flight beyond the Kármán line later next year. He said the company “also planned to go beyond the Kármán line… next year,” marking a key milestone toward full system validation.
Once the rockoon system is fully proven, B2Space intends to begin preparations for its first orbital mission. The company expects to source space-qualified motors from an international supplier for its orbital-class vehicle. The final system will use a large balloon to lift the rocket to about 35 kilometres before launch and is designed to carry payloads of up to 200 kilograms into low Earth orbit.
