The UK Space Agency’s Director of Launch, Matthew Archer, has stated that it is “essential” for the country to participate in the European Launcher Challenge to ensure it continues to build on its efforts to develop sovereign launch capabilities. His comments also appeared to indicate that the country would be supporting Orbex in its bid to compete in the ESA initiative.
Both Skyrora and Orbex are UK-based launch startups currently developing small launch vehicles designed to deploy payloads into orbit. Skyrora is developing the Skyrora XL, which will be capable of delivering up to 315 kilograms to low Earth orbit. Orbex is working on Prime, designed to place payloads of up to 180 kilograms. Both rockets fall into the microlauncher category, which are vehicles typically capable of delivering payloads of no more than 500 kilograms to low Earth orbit. However, Orbex is no longer focusing solely on Prime.
In early December 2024, Orbex announced that it had paused work on building its own spaceport to focus on developing a medium-sized launch vehicle called Proxima. This class of launch vehicles is typically defined as being capable of delivering between 2,000 and 20,000 kilograms to low Earth orbit. Where exactly Proxima will fall on that spectrum is not yet known.
Late last week, the UK Space Agency’s Director of Launch, Matthew Archer, posted a statement to LinkedIn, expressing the importance of the country’s participation in the European Launcher Challenge.
The European Launcher Challenge was established following the ESA Council meeting in Seville, Spain, in November 2023. The initiative aims to support the development of sovereign European launch capabilities. Currently, this support is expected to take the form of individual awards of €150 million for each successful bidder.
“UK participation in the European Launcher Challenge will be essential,” wrote Archer. “While the programme design is still emerging, it is likely to shape the European landscape for the years ahead. The UK Space Agency is, as you would expect, representing our national interests in discussions with ESA counterparts and will prioritise activities which ensure the best possible UK proposals are put forward for [the] development of a medium-class rocket.”
As outlined, the only medium-class rocket currently in development in the United Kingdom is Proxima.
Orbex is one of six signatories of an open letter to ESA, released late last week, outlining key priorities that the group urged the agency to consider as it moves forward with the European Launcher Challenge. This strongly indicates that Orbex intends to compete in the initiative. Coupled with Archer’s comments, it appears that the UK Space Agency has chosen its champion for the European Launcher Challenge.
