Orbex Prime
An image releaased by Orbex in November 2025 of hardware for its Prime small launch vehicle. Credit: Orbex

WASHINGTON — The Exploration Company is in talks to acquire Orbex, the U.K.-based small launch vehicle developer that has reportedly been in financial distress.

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Jeff Foust writes about space policy, commercial space, and related topics for SpaceNews. He earned a Ph.D. in planetary sciences from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and a bachelor’s degree with honors in geophysics and planetary science...