UK rocket maker Skyrora has signalled interest in buying key assets from rival Orbex after the Inverness‑based launch firm began the process of appointing administrators following failed fundraising and merger talks.
Glasgow‑headquartered Skyrora said it intends to explore the purchase of selected Orbex assets, including the part‑built Sutherland Spaceport on Scotland’s north coast, in a move that could see it invest up to £10 million. The company stressed the approach is only a preliminary expression of interest at this stage.
Orbex, which was founded in 2016 and employs 163 people, confirmed on Wednesday that it will continue trading while “all options” are considered, including the potential sale of all or parts of the business or its assets. The firm had been preparing for the first test launches of its micro‑launcher, Prime, later this year and has already secured commercial launch commitments from several satellite customers. Orbex describes Prime as one of the most advanced low‑carbon microlaunchers in the world.
Construction of Orbex’s Sutherland Spaceport began in 2023 but was paused at the end of 2024, with the company subsequently deciding to shift launch operations to the SaxaVord spaceport site in Shetland. The status of Sutherland, and its potential acquisition by Skyrora, will be closely watched by the emerging UK launch sector and local stakeholders in the Highlands.
Orbex is one of five operators selected under the European Space Agency’s European Launcher Challenge initiative, which secured more than €900 million in funding from ESA member states at the end of 2025 to expand Europe’s launch service capacity and strengthen access to space. The other operators chosen are Germany’s Isar Aerospace and Rocket Factory Augsburg, France’s MaiaSpace, and Spain’s PLD Space.
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The firm said: “Skyrora believes that securing select assets is vital to preserving UK space capability, protecting national critical infrastructure, and ensuring that technology and IP developed in the UK remains under UK ownership.”
Skyrora’s move comes at a pivotal moment for Europe’s small‑satellite launch market, as commercial and institutional customers seek more resilient, home‑grown access to orbit. Any deal for Orbex assets, particularly Sutherland Spaceport, would reshape the landscape for UK launches and could influence where future Scottish missions lift off.
