Written questions

Orbex: Finance

Lords · Question HL293 · Tabled 19 May 2026 · Department for Science, Innovation and Technology · Official record

Answered 2 Jun 2026

Question

Asked by Lord Risby

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of withdrawing funding for Orbex on the UK's satellite launch capabilities and employment in the aerospace sector.

Answer

Answered by Baroness Lloyd of Effra, 2 Jun 2026

The UK did not withhold ESA funding from Orbex. The UK subscribed c.£162m to ESA launch programmes in November 2025 and allocated the maximum possible amount of funding to Orbex as per European Space Agency rules and selection criteria. To access further ...