British astronaut Major Tim Peake paid a visit to Scottish spaceflight company Orbex last week as it gears up for its first orbital rocket launch.
Peake toured the Forres headquarters on Wednesday 3 September, where he met engineers working on Prime, Orbex’s micro launch vehicle and got an up-close look at the rocket.
The visit offered a behind-the-scenes glimpse into one of the UK’s most ambitious spaceflight projects, and included a Q&A session with Orbex’s rocket scientists.
Peake’s stop in Moray came as part of his nationwide tour, Astronauts: The Quest to Explore Space.
Phil Chambers, CEO of Orbex, said the visit was a proud moment for the team.
“It was an honour to host Tim and share the progress we’re making with Prime, which is set to be one of the world’s most environmentally sustainable orbital rockets,” he said.
“Tim has inspired a generation to look to space, and welcoming him to Orbex as we enter this new era of sustainable spaceflight is something our team will remember for years to come.”
Tim Peake said he was impressed by what he saw in Forres.
“Orbex is developing cutting-edge technology and building the skills and capability that will help the UK become a major player in global spaceflight,” he said.
“Meeting the team behind it all has given me a real sense of the momentum building here, and it’s fantastic to see Scotland at the forefront of this new era of launch.”
The visit comes as Orbex prepares for its inaugural launch from SaxaVord Spaceport in Shetland, where it has a dedicated launch pad and capacity for up to 10 flights a year.
Orbex was recently pre-selected for the European Launcher Challenge, a major EU initiative aimed at boosting independent launch capacity across Europe.
