British rocket developer Skyrora said on Thursday it is considering acquiring selected assets from rival Orbex, including a planned spaceport in northern Scotland, after the smaller launch company disclosed financial difficulties.
Skyrora, headquartered in Glasgow, said it intends to explore purchasing parts of Orbex’s business, notably the Sutherland Spaceport project on Scotland’s north coast, in a potential deal that could involve investment of up to £10 million ($13.6 million). The company emphasized that the move represents only an initial expression of interest.
The announcement came a day after Orbex said it was seeking to appoint administrators following unsuccessful attempts to secure funding or strategic partnerships.
Skyrora said it “intends to explore the purchase of select Orbex assets, including the Sutherland Spaceport,” but cautioned that the proposal remains preliminary.
Orbex, based near Inverness and founded in 2016, said it will continue operations while options for the future are assessed, including a possible sale of all or part of the company.
The firm had been preparing for the first test launches of its Prime micro-launch vehicle later this year and reported commercial commitments from satellite customers. “Orbex already has commercial launch commitments from several satellite customers for Prime, which is one of the most advanced, low-carbon microlaunchers in the world,” the company said.
Construction of the Sutherland Spaceport began in 2023 but was paused at the end of 2024 when Orbex shifted launch plans to the SaxaVord site in the Shetland Islands.
The potential asset sale comes amid broader efforts to strengthen Europe’s independent launch capabilities. Member states of the European Space Agency committed more than €900 million in late 2025 to the European Launcher Challenge, an initiative aimed at expanding launch service providers and ensuring reliable access to space.
Orbex had been among the companies selected for the program, alongside Germany’s Isar Aerospace and Rocket Factory Augsburg, France’s MaiaSpace, and Spain’s PLD Space.
Skyrora’s interest suggests consolidation within Europe’s emerging small-launch sector as companies compete for funding, customers and infrastructure.
