British Space Thread

I think that the British government needs to step in if it wants the UK to have its' own viable space-programme.
 
Skyrora is a UK-based rocket manufacturer with deep Ukrainian roots, founded in 2017 by Ukrainian entrepreneur Volodymyr Levykin. Headquartered in Glasgow with a significant employee base in Ukraine, the company leverages Ukrainian aerospace engineering expertise from Dnipro to develop small satellite launchers like the Skylark L, aiming to launch from British soil.
Key Connections to Ukraine
  • Leadership & Talent: CEO Volodymyr Levykin is a graduate of Zaporizhzhia National Technical University. About half of Skyrora's employees were previously based in Ukraine, including a team in the "Rocket City" of Dnipro, a hub for former Soviet space manufacturing.
  • Ownership: The company is majority-owned (approx. 90%) by Ukrainian-born entrepreneur Maxym “Max” Polyakov, who took a controlling stake in 2024 through his investment fund, Noosphere Ventures.
  • Engineering Heritage: The company draws upon the technical expertise of engineers from Ukraine, specifically utilizing knowledge from Dnipro's aerospace sector to build their rockets
 
TsrJoe said:
Skyrora is a UK-based rocket manufacturer with deep Ukrainian roots, founded in 2017 by Ukrainian entrepreneur Volodymyr Levykin. Headquartered in Glasgow with a significant employee base in Ukraine, the company leverages Ukrainian aerospace engineering expertise from Dnipro to develop small satellite launchers like the Skylark L, aiming to launch from British soil.
Key Connections to Ukraine
  • Leadership & Talent: CEO Volodymyr Levykin is a graduate of Zaporizhzhia National Technical University. About half of Skyrora's employees were previously based in Ukraine, including a team in the "Rocket City" of Dnipro, a hub for former Soviet space manufacturing.
  • Ownership: The company is majority-owned (approx. 90%) by Ukrainian-born entrepreneur Maxym “Max” Polyakov, who took a controlling stake in 2024 through his investment fund, Noosphere Ventures.
  • Engineering Heritage: The company draws upon the technical expertise of engineers from Ukraine, specifically utilizing knowledge from Dnipro's aerospace sector to build their rockets
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So this is good news for the British space sector?
 
The Register: Skyrora circles Orbex wreckage as UK rocket rival heads for administration [Feb 13]

Dr Jack-James Marlow, COO at Skyrora, told The Register that while "any employment decisions would depend on the final structure of any transaction," the company recognized the talent within the Orbex team and "would be open to engaging experienced engineers and specialists."

As for the rest of the company, he reiterated, "We are exploring the potential acquisition of select assets that are strategically important to maintaining UK sovereign launch capability. This could include certain infrastructure, manufacturing equipment and intellectual property, subject to administrator discussions, regulatory approvals and due diligence.

"It is too early to be more specific."Marlow would also not be drawn on when Skyrora planned to launch its own orbital rocket. "Our focus remains on progressing our own launch programme in line with regulatory and testing milestones. We will announce a confirmed launch date once final readiness criteria and licensing requirements are met."
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Payload: Orbex’s Troubles Open Opportunities for Skyrora [Feb 13]

Skyrora COO Jack-James Marlow said the acquisition could include “certain infrastructure, manufacturing equipment, and intellectual property,” perhaps even bringing in some of the 150+ employees who are now (or about to be) out of work.

The bottom line: It’s unclear what the UK government will do next regarding launch, but a UK government spokesperson told Payload via email that the country “remains committed to supporting our dynamic space sector,” although financial considerations will ultimately drive all future decisions, lest the country throw good money after bad.

“We will be setting out more details about our plans for developing key national space capabilities, including launch, in due course. Any decisions will be focused on ensuring maximum impact for taxpayers’ money,” the spokesperson said.
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European Spaceflight: Did the UK Block The Exploration Company’s Purchase of Orbex? [Feb 14]

On 13 February, in response to a request from European Spaceflight, a spokesperson for The Exploration Company hinted that the UK government had ultimately been responsible for the decision not to proceed with the transaction.

“While we are disappointed that this potential transaction will not move forward, we respect the UK decision-making process,” explained the spokesperson. “Our engagement with Orbex reflected our ambition to strengthen Europe’s space capabilities and ensure sovereign access to orbit. We thank Orbex and the UK government for their excellent collaboration during the exchanges we had.”
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UK backs in orbit production of high value materials​

www.spacewar.com

UK backs in orbit production of high value materials

London, UK (SPX) Feb 17, 2026 - The UK Space Agency has placed three new study contracts with British companies to assess how advanced materials could be manufactured in Low Earth Orbit for use back on Earth. The projects focus on
www.spacewar.com

UK backs new electric propulsion hub for satellite engines​

www.spacedaily.com

UK backs new electric propulsion hub for satellite engines

London, UK (SPX) Feb 06, 2026 - A new electric propulsion laboratory for satellite engines has opened at the Harwell Science and Innovation Campus in Oxfordshire, providing UK space companies with access to advanced testing and de
www.spacedaily.com
 
Andrew Parsonson
@AndrewParsonson
·
It looks like Orbex officially closed its doors today.
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ORBEX
Orbex
51m
Our Journey to Launch formally came to an end today.

It's not the conclusion we hoped for, but we remain incredibly proud of everything we accomplished together at Orbex - the milestones we reached, the challenges we overcame, and the ambition we poured into every step of this journey.
The talented Orbex Team will now take their expertise and passion into new roles and adventures. We couldn't be prouder of each and every person who contributed to this chapter - Orbex and Prime will forever be part of the UK Space Story. The Team's work, dedication, and spirit are the legacy of Orbex.

To ensure that Orbex and Prime are never forgotten, we are delighted to share that Baby Orbex Prime has found a new home at Morayvia Aviation Museum in Kinloss, where it will be on display from 28 March 2026. We hope you'll visit and support this fantastic charity.

We have also donated Engine Chambers to the Science Museum Group in London and the National Museums Scotland and another Baby Orbex Prime will be heading to the Aberdeen Science Centre.
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https://twitter.com/x/status/2024203851675443527
View: https://twitter.com/AndrewParsonson/status/2024203851675443527
 
FighterJock said:
Sad news that Orbex have shut their doors for the last time, where was the Government in all of this?
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Sad that they thought £20m would get a space launch capability. That money doesn't even buy a single ICBM, or even an IRBM, and that's post development and testing. LVs are bigger and more expensive all-round.
 
FighterJock said:
Sad news that Orbex have shut their doors for the last time, where was the Government in all of this?
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Forest Green said:
Sad that they thought £20m would get a space launch capability. That money doesn't even buy a single ICBM, or even an IRBM, and that's post development and testing. LVs are bigger and more expensive all-round.
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That's what happens when you get short-sighted bean-counters with no clue about the aerospace sector in HM's treasury controlling things.
 
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Quite right too NMaude, the nutters in the Treasury should leave it to the professionals that really know what they are doing then we would not have the porblems like what is currently happening with Orbex.
 
NMaude said:
That's what happens when you get short-sighted beans with no clue about the aerospace sector in HM's treasury controlling things.
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FighterJock said:
Quite right too NMaude, the nutters in the Treasury should leave it to the professionals that really know what they are doing then we would not have the porblems like what is currently happening with Orbex.
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Personally I think giving more money to them would have been throwing good money after bad. They look to me like a company as we’ve seen in the US with small launch companies, who have rushed into the market and then discovered that getting a launcher off the ground, if you pardon the pun, is harder than it looks. Especially as the market will only support so many companies.
 
It seems to be a global trend that funding for space development rarely matches the height of public expectation. In Japan, the "Space Strategy Fund" was established to distribute grants to both legacy giants and emerging startups. However, there is a stark contrast in allocation: while Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI), the lead developer of the H3, receives 20 billion yen, startups building low-cost or reusable rockets are only granted a paltry 2 to 4 billion yen each.

Compared to the billions of dollars SpaceX receives from NASA, these amounts are barely enough to cover a few test flights.

  • IST: Approx. 4.6 billion yen
  • Space One: Approx. 4.0 billion yen
  • PD Aerospace: Approx. 4.0 billion yen
  • ASCA: Approx. 2.0 billion yen and up
I’m not suggesting we should hand out massive sums unconditionally. However, if the government is serious about fostering innovation, it should commit to a minimum of 10 billion yen (£50 million) for those companies that show genuine promise.
 
Space firms to scale-up and thrive in Britain with government backing for bolder strategy [Mar 4]

In addition to the £1.7 billion committed to European Space Agency (ESA) programmes in November 2025, the government is allocating more than £500 million to national space programmes:
• £105 million to develop civil capabilities for in-orbit servicing and manufacturing (ISAM) – an emerging market where the UK has a strong competitive edge and opportunities to deliver significant commercial returns and strengthen national resilience.
• £85 million to develop the National Space Operations Centre, including £40 million to build a new ground‑based sensing network, supporting the 24/7 requirement to protect satellites and manage an increasingly crowded space environment.
• £80 million to deliver the Connectivity in Low Earth Orbit (C-LEO) programme, including for a new £30m funding call opened today to support UK businesses developing smarter satellites, advanced hardware and AI‑enabled data delivery.
• £65 million for the National Space Innovation Programme to accelerate breakthrough technologies and boost commercialisation.
• £40 million for the Unlocking Space Programme to drive market demand for space technology, develop national security capabilities and attract private investment to support the scale up of UK firms.
• £37 million to develop space clusters, building on local strengths and ensuring the benefits of space reach every corner of the UK.
• £20 million to accelerate spaceport infrastructure development in Scotland.
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Minister Lloyd speech at Space-Comm Expo 2026 [Mar 4]

I am announcing a package of over £500 million, as part of the overarching £2.8 billion we are funding from now to 2030.

We already have cutting edge capabilities in Satellite Communications – I now want to position UK companies to capture a greater share of the global Satellite Communications market, projected to be worth billions in the coming decade.

I will supplement our ESA funding for Satellite Communications with a further £80 million for UKSA to deliver the Connectivity in Low Earth Orbit (LEO) programme.

The second funding call under this programme, worth £30 million to UK businesses, is going live today.

Combined with our ESA investment, this brings the UK Space Agency’s (UKSA) total funding of Satellite Communications to over £600 million over the coming years.

In-Orbit Servicing, Assembly, and Manufacturing (ISAM) is an emerging market, but one with strong potential to build global resilience in space, strengthen our national security, and deliver whole new markets.

It’s an area where the UK has a competitive edge, and I want us to capitalise on it. Therefore, in addition to completing the national Active Debris Removal (ADR) mission to safely de-orbit 2 UK-licensed satellites, I am announcing a further £40 million to develop our civil capabilities in ISAM.

This brings funding for ISAM to over £105 million.

Space Domain Awareness (SDA) is key to understanding and managing an increasingly congested space environment.

On top of our £149 million commitment made through ESA to deliver the VIGIL severe space weather capability, I can announce £85 million to further develop the National Space Operations Centre (NSpOC), including £40 million to build a network of ground-based sensors.

These capabilities support UK businesses to operate satellites safely and effectively, with hazard alerts provided to UK-licensed operators, government, and international partners.

At the ESA Council of Ministers, I committed a record £162 million funding for launch programmes, primarily for the European Launcher Challenge (ELC).

We are disappointed that Orbex has gone into administration and will provide what support we can to help them manage this process, but that does not end our ambitions for launch.

In pursuit of our ambition of assured access to space, our next steps will focus on accelerating launch from Scotland, and we work with industry and international partners to ensure the UK has assured launch options.

I want to make funding available for the capabilities, skills and infrastructure that enable the launch sector to thrive, and so I can announce £20 million to accelerate spaceport infrastructure development in Scotland.
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From yesterday's The Times (Irish Edition):
1775550153221.png

More about the Skynet 6 program:
www.gov.uk

SKYNET 6

Information about the Ministry of Defence (MOD) SKYNET 6 Programme: engaging with external bodies and individuals on recruitment, industry supplier engagement, and other government department (OGD) collaboration.
www.gov.uk www.gov.uk
 
https://twitter.com/x/status/2043635737803866445
View: https://twitter.com/SaxaVord_Space/status/2043635737803866445


The Lamba Ness Launch Site is now open for virtual exploration!
Step inside SaxaVord Spaceport from your mobile or desktop and discover everything happening across our site!
Working with Dark Star Labs, we’ve built an accessible 'Digital Twin' of SaxaVord. From our geography to our launch infrastructure and rich heritage, you can now explore the UK’s gateway to space from any browser, anywhere in the world.
This is a living project. As our site evolves, so will the experience.

We’re incredibly excited to finally share more of what’s been developing on site.
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Explore now - https://saxavord.darkstarlabs.io
 

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