Jacobs, Orbex Taking Scotland into the Space Age

A windswept peat bog in Scotland is earmarked to become the first operational spaceport on the U.K. mainland, with Jacobs providing key elements of the know-how to make it happen.

Orbex, an orbital launch services company serving the needs of the small satellite industry, is working towards launching its Prime rocket from Sutherland Spaceport near Tongue in the northern Highlands of Scotland.

Jacobs, an investor in Orbex, will lead the construction of the spaceport, including design, procurement and management of the local supply chain.

We have also signed a long-term collaboration agreement with Orbex to provide spaceport operations support, operations consultancy, and engineering services, drawing on our experience of managing and operating complex, highly regulated nuclear and space-related sites.

We will also reach back into extensive experience of the space sector as NASA's largest services provider, delivering mission-tailored solutions and full lifecycle aerospace capabilities. As well as supporting the Mars Perseverance Rover and the Artemis deep space human exploration program, Jacobs is prime contractor for NASA’S Exploration Ground Systems Program at Kennedy Space Center, with responsibility for development and operations of flight vehicle components and upgrading of facilities and ground equipment.

Prime, the first full orbital micro-launcher to be unveiled in Europe, is a 19-metre long, two-stage rocket powered by seven engines. Designed and manufactured in Forres, near Inverness in Scotland and Copenhagen in Denmark, it is unique in being powered by renewable bio-propane and has significantly lower carbon emissions compared with similarly-sized rockets being developed elsewhere.

A study by the University of Exeter showed that a single launch of the Orbex Prime rocket will produce 96% less emissions than comparable systems using fossil fuels. Prime is also a re-usable rocket which has been engineered to leave zero debris on Earth and in orbit. The spaceport will also contribute to environmental sustainability by restoring peatland habitats in the surrounding area.

“The Orbex Prime rocket promises to be a game changer for small satellite developers and operators, enabling them to launch small satellites much more efficiently and cost-effectively,” says Jacobs Energy, Security and Technology Senior Vice President Karen Wiemelt. “We are excited to be involved in this important development for the European space industry and we believe that Sutherland Spaceport will bring major economic and social benefits to the Highlands, where we are already well established, having supported key decommissioning and remediation projects at the Dounreay nuclear site in Caithness for decades.”