Prime (rocket)
British orbital rocket of the company Orbex
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Prime rocket was a British light launch vehicle under development by Orbex. Its booster (first stage) was planned to be reusable.[1][2] The rocket's diameter is 1.45 m (4 ft 9 in),[3] and would use a non-toxic bi-propellant consisting of liquid oxygen and propane. First stage reuse was planned to be achieved by a combination of a parachute and four 'petals' which would fold out prior to atmospheric reentry to induce drag and passively reorient the vehicle.[4] It would be capable of launching payloads up to 150 kilograms (330 lb) to a standard 500 km Sun-synchronous orbit (SSO).[5][2]
United KingdomSecond stage engineering prototype of the Prime orbital rocket | |
| Function | Small payloads to low Earth orbit |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer | Orbex |
| Country of origin | United Kingdom |
| Size | |
| Height | 19 m (62 ft) |
| Diameter | 1.45 m (4 ft 9 in) |
| Mass | 18,000 kg (40,000 lb) |
| Stages | 2 |
| Capacity | |
| Payload to SSO (500 km or 310 mi) | |
| Mass | 180 kg (400 lb) |
| Associated rockets | |
| Comparable | Electron |
| Launch history | |
| Status | Canceled |
| Launch sites | SaxaVord Spaceport Sutherland spaceport (proposed) Azores spaceport (proposed) |
| First stage | |
| Diameter | 1.45 m (4 ft 9 in) |
| Powered by | 6 |
| Propellant | LOX / bioLPG |
| Second stage | |
| Diameter | 1.45 m (4 ft 9 in) |
| Powered by | 1 |
| Propellant | LOX / bioLPG |
In February 2026, the project was canceled as Orbex ceased operations.[6]
Propellants
One cited advantage of using propane is that it remains liquid at cryogenic temperatures, which enables a design where a central carbon-fibre tank of propane is surrounded by an outer tank of liquid oxygen, creating a light structural mass.[5]
Prevously planned flights
In 2022, the maiden flight of Prime was expected to occur in late 2025, subject to the availability of SaxaVord Spaceport and a Civil Aviation Authority launch licence,[7] for Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd.[8] In 2025, the first flight was planned for early 2026.[9] Orbex also announced it was chosen by nanosatellite company Astrocast to launch their communications satellites[10][11][12] and by Italian in-orbit logistics company D-Orbit for two other launches.[13]
See also
- European Launcher Challenge – Space launch vehicle development programme of the European Space Agency
- Orbital launchers under development in Europe:
- Ariane Next – Orbital recoverable launch vehicle of the European company ArianeGroup
- Maia – French orbital reusable rocket of the company MaiaSpace
- Miura 5 – European orbital recoverable rocket of the company PLD Space
- Miura Next – European orbital recoverable rocket of the company PLD Space
- RFA One – Space launch vehicle in development
- Spectrum – Two-stage small launch vehicle