Skyrora, a UK-based launch-vehicle manufacturer, and Spirit AeroSystems have announced a strategic collaboration to advance orbital launch capabilities. The partnership was revealed during the UK Space Conference’s opening day in Belfast, where Spirit’s largest UK manufacturing facility is located. Skyrora is on track to become the first UK company to vertically launch satellites from UK soil, with plans to conduct up to 16 launches per year at scale.
Volodymyr Levykin, CEO and Founder of Skyrora, expressed enthusiasm for the alliance, emphasizing its significance in advancing the company’s mission to create a responsible and sustainable approach to orbital launch. The collaboration aims to leverage Spirit’s adaptive manufacturing and testing solutions, particularly in metallics and composites, to enhance Skyrora’s launch proposition.
Sir Michael J Ryan CBE, VP of European Space and Defence at Spirit AeroSystems, highlighted the company’s commitment to supporting innovative and sustainable space technologies. Spirit’s role in the partnership involves fully industrializing Skyrora’s future production requirements, facilitating a smooth transition from development to full-scale manufacturing.
The collaboration aligns with the UK government’s priority to establish a strong presence in the global space economy, which is anticipated to be worth £490 billion by 2030. Matt Archer, Director of Launch at the UK Space Agency, emphasized the importance of such collaborations in building domestic spaceflight capabilities and achieving the government’s goal for the UK to lead Europe in small satellite launches by 2030.
In addition to advancing launch capabilities, Skyrora and Spirit will collaborate on researching space technologies, with a focus on additive manufacturing. Skyrora’s Skyprint 2, the largest in-house hybrid 3D printer in Europe, will be a key asset in this research. The collaboration aims to unlock a localized supply chain, reduce costs and lead times, foster industrial cooperation, and contribute to the growth of the UK space sector.