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british rocket company, orbex, unveils the first full-scale prototype of the prime orbital space rocket


The unveiling of the first of a new generation of European launch vehicles – designed to launch a new category of very small satellites to orbit – represents a major step forward for the British rocket company, Orbex, as it prepares for the first ever vertical rocket launch to orbit from UK soil. Orbex’s Prime rocket is said to be the first 'micro- launcher' developed in Europe to reach this stage of technical readiness. With the first full integration of the Orbex


rocket on a launch pad now complete, the company is able to enter a period of integrated testing, allowing dress rehearsals of rocket launches and the development and optimisation of launch procedures. Orbex recently revealed its first test launch platform at a new test facility in Kinloss, a few miles from the company’s headquarters at Forres in Moray, Scotland. Prime is a 19m long, two-stage rocket, that is


powered by seven engines. It is being designed and manufactured in the UK and Denmark. The six rocket engines on the first stage of the rocket will


propel the vehicle through the atmosphere to an altitude of around 80km. The single engine on the second stage of the rocket will complete the journey to Low Earth Orbit (LEO), allowing the release of its payload of small, commercial satellites into Earth's orbit. Orbex Prime is powered by a renewable


bio-fuel, bio-propane, supplied by Calor UK. A study by the University of Exeter showed that a single launch of the Orbex Prime rocket will produce 96% lower carbon emissions than comparable space launch systems using fossil fuels. Prime is also a re-usable rocket which has been engineered to leave zero debris on Earth and in orbit. Orbex Prime will launch from Space Hub


Sutherland, a new spaceport being constructed on the North Coast of Scotland. Ian Annett, deputy CEO of the UK Space


Agency: “We are on the cusp of an historic moment, with Orbex playing a leading role in generating a brand new launch capability in the


digital am solutions help to advance the field of space propulsion


EOS has announced an exclusive partnership to advance the field of space propulsion with Hyperganic, the company that aims to accelerate innovation in engineering through its ground-breaking software platform. Freedom of design has always been one of the guiding principles of


AM, enabling part structures and applications that were impossible to manufacture using traditional production processes. The partnership between EOS and Hyperganic is said to take this approach to the next level. A radical example is the aerospike rocket engine designed by


Hyperganic and manufactured by EOS and AMCM, an EOS GROUP company. The aerospike engine, classically considered a tremendous engineering and manufacturing challenge, was built from the ground up using an algorithmic model by Hyperganic. One of the hundreds of designs produced by Hyperganic in just days was printed on EOS M 400-4. The highly complex part was printed with zero support using the newly developed EOS NickelAlloy IN718 process. Consequently, the aerospike engine was automatically reengineered for production on a substantially


larger AMCM M 4K system from AMCM in EOS CopperAlloy CuCrZr. The combination of this level of design complexity with the capability to print in this size in a reliable manner, will drive the next innovations in space propulsion. Dr. Hans J. Langer, founder of EOS and an Additive Manufacturing (AM) visionary, commented: “As


a constant and pioneering innovator, we are now partnering with Hyperganic to introduce another paradigm shift in AM. It is a design shift that expands solution spaces as well as performance levels. At the same time, it will revolutionise the design process for AM, making AM a truly digital workflow from software-generated Algorithmic Engineering to digital manufacturing.”


www.eos.info ninth version of creo cad launched


The ninth version of PTC’s Creo computer-aided design (CAD) software has been launched, with the promise of helping engineers deliver their best product designs in less time. Creo 9 includes core enhancements and advanced features that encourage innovation, with emerging features such as generative design, real-time simulation and additive manufacturing. Brian Thompson, divisional vice president and general manager of Creo at PTC, said: “We


6 design solutions may 2022


made core improvements like the divide surface capability and stronger design intent management to benefit our users, whilst also focusing on advanced technologies that transform product design – including simulation, generative design, and additive manufacturing. “Finally, to better support our users, we’ve


strengthened Creo’s ergonomics capabilities.” www.ptc.com


UK, while creating opportunities for people and businesses across the country. I can’t wait to see Prime lift off from Space Hub Sutherland.” Josef Aschbacher, director general, European


Space Agency (ESA) added: “I am deeply impressed with the speed at which the Orbex Prime rocket was developed. It is the first full orbital micro-launcher in Europe. But I am equally impressed by the low-carbon footprint technology applied. My sincere congratulations to the whole Orbex team for this impressive achievement.”


www.orbex.space bearing


manufacturer expands


Bearing manufacturer, Braintree Precision Components (BPC), has acquired new premises, which will increase its machining capacity by 30%. Part of the Hepco Group, BPC manufactures V bearings for linear motion expert HepcoMotion. Barry Engstrom, the Hepco Group


manufacturing director commented: "With the growth of Electric Vehicles and many other industries automating their facilities across the world, we see significant opportunities for growth in the coming years. Quite simply, we've outgrown our existing premises and this expansion is an exciting new development for us.” The new premises will provide a further


690m2 of production space with state-of-the art turning and grinding machines, as well as additional office space. The additional facilities are a significant investment for the company and will accommodate future demands in line with BPC’s continued growth. The site is set to be operational from the end of 2022 and will create a significant number of jobs in Essex.


www.hepcomotion.com/about/ braintree-precision-components/


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