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D-Orbit CCO Renato Panesi and Orbex CEO Phil Chambers. Photo: Orbex

Orbex has won a new contract with D-Orbit for two launches aboard Orbex Prime, the company’s micro-launcher, over the course of the next three years. Orbex announced the deal, Feb. 3. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.

D-Orbit offers logistics services to the space market, for example, by transporting satellites once in orbit and releasing them individually into distinct orbital slots, and testing hosted payloads in space. It also supplies satellite operators with storage capacity and advanced computing capabilities while in orbit.

Initial launches for Orbex Prime will take place from the SaxaVord Spaceport in Shetland, where Orbex has a dedicated launch pad and aims to launch 10 flights per year. Orbex expects to launch its first Prime rocket towards the end of 2025. Orbex is developing both small and medium sized space rockets.

“We are very pleased to have signed this agreement with Orbex, further strengthening our commitment to the thriving U.K. space ecosystem. We continuously explore new ways to enhance our offering and deliver in-orbit services to our customers. Orbex Prime’s missions will provide valuable insights into the U.K.’s orbital launch capabilities and expand our portfolio of orbital launch solutions. It is an exciting time to be part of the U.K. space industry, and we look forward to contributing to its continued growth and innovation,” Jonathan Firth, chief corporate development officer, D-Orbit, said in a statement.

It has been a big few days for Orbex. Last week it got a funding boost from the UK government – an investment of 20 million pounds ($24.76 million) into Orbex’s Series D fundraising round. The total funding for the Series D round now stands at £23 million ($28.48 million). Orbex in the midst of an intensive testing programme, the funding will accelerate further development of Prime, a 19-meter long, two-stage rocket designed to transport small satellites into Low Earth Orbit (LEO).

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