Why Is It So Hard to Build a Successful UK Launch Company?

Virgin Orbit’s collapse after its failed attempt to achieve the first United Kingdom orbital launch in early 2023 highlighted the vulnerability of the nation’s commercial launch ambitions. The difficulty Reaction Engines faced in securing new funding despite sustained investment underscored the wider challenges of developing advanced aerospace technology within a competitive global environment. Orbex, once viewed as a leading domestic contender, has now entered administration after failing to secure sufficient investment. Senior figures from Skyrora, Astron Systems and the INVICTUS programme at Frazer Nash will examine what today’s emerging launch companies are doing differently, and what must change within the wider ecosystem to enable a successful, commercially sustainable United Kingdom launch company to emerge.