Orbex selects Altair's testing software
Orbex announced the appointment of a new supplier, Altair, at last week's Farnborough Air Show (FIA) 2024, as it progresses towards bringing orbital launch services to the UK.
Above: Orbex CEO, Phil Chamber with James R. Scapa Founder, Chairman & CEO, Altair.
Courtesy Orbex
Altair will provide Orbex access to Altair HyperWorks, its design and simulation platform, with a focus on its leading structural simulation, composite design, and additive manufacturing solutions to support the orbital launch services provider as it progresses towards its first launch.
Based in Troy, Michigan, USA, Altair aims to leverage computational science to drive innovation and intelligent decisions within organisations to build better, more efficient and more sustainable products.
Orbex is currently constructing Sutherland Spaceport, from which it will vertically launch small satellites into Low Earth Orbit using their Orbex Prime microlauncher. In the lead-up to becoming fully operational as a launch services provider, Orbex is creating new agreements with suppliers that are supporting them on their journey.
Dr Pietro Cervellera, Senior Vice President Aerospace and Defense at Altair, said: "We are proud to collaborate with Orbex and support its drive for small satellite development and launches. Access to space was once the domain of a few government organizations, innovative teams like Orbex are rapidly changing this paradigm. By utilizing Altair's world-class design and AI-powered simulation technologies for their new product development programs, we can't wait to see what Orbex will achieve in the near future."
Phil Chambers, CEO at Orbex, added: “With a strong focus on quality and sustainability, suppliers are a critical part of our journey to launch and each agreement – such as this one with Altair takes us one step closer to delivering orbital launch services from the UK. This software will allow the team to analyze launch vehicle components prior to the manufacturing process ensuring the efficiency of results and the streamlining of product production.”
This latest agreement with Altair follows the news that Orbex has agreed for MSP to supply technology to automate the production of components, in May.
Orbex is a UK-based spaceflight company with headquarters, production and testing facilities in Scotland and design and testing facilities in Denmark.