A LEADING Edinburgh-based space tech firm has landed a major European deal contributing to the creation of the “holy grail” of rocket propulsion.
Aurora Avionics will supply space-ready avionics systems for the Barcelona-based Pangea Propulsion’s “ground-breaking” ARCOS rocket engine in an agreement worth £525,000.
Pangea is the first company in the world to successfully fire an aerospike engine, an inside-out design that features a central spike around the exhaust, and uses sustainable methane and oxygen propellants.
The Spanish firm’s flagship ARCOS engine is on track to become the first flight-ready reusable aerospike in the world.
Aurora Avionics CEO, Oren Smith-Carpenter, said the agreement marks another “significant milestone” for the business which is aiming to be at the forefront of Scotland’s space sector.
He said: "We have wanted to work with the Pangea Propulsion team since founding Aurora Avionics two years ago.
“They are a world-leading Space company and are doing ground-breaking work. We think the combination of two ambitious, agile organisations will be a large step forward for European space.
“This marks another significant milestone in our growth journey. The progress so far has been remarkable, and we remain determined to ensure Aurora Avionics stays at the forefront of technological development in the space industry.”
Aurora Avionics announcement comes after the firm secured £500k in investment from Kelvin Capital, alongside Gabriel and Scottish Enterprise, earlier this year.
Pangea Propulsion’s pioneering development of the aerospike engine has long been described as the “holy grail” of rocket propulsion.
Unlike conventional engines, which only work best at certain altitudes, aerospikes adjust automatically, making rockets more efficient, and allows them to fly more efficiently from launch to space, carrying more satellites and equipment while keeping costs down.
Pangea is also advancing other breakthrough propulsion programmes – from leading the design of very high-thrust engines with the European Space Agency to pioneering in-space mobility systems, cementing its role at the forefront of Europe’s space ambitions.
Pangea Propulsion CEO, Adria Argemi, welcomed the partnership with Aurora Avionics and said he expects the deal to be the start of a “long collaboration”.
He said: "We had a competitive process for our Avionics contract. We were impressed by the customer-first focus of the Aurora Avionics team and their NewSpace specific technology.
“Europe needs companies to join forces to accelerate access to space and stay competitive – agreements like this are how we make it happen.”
“We are already enjoying working with the team and expect this contract to be the start of a long collaboration.”
