A SCOTTISH space firm has been awarded a cash boost of hundreds of thousands of pounds to help “pioneer” a space flight technology.
Following funding from the European Space Agency in 2023, Aurora Avionics has this year secured an investment of more than £320 000 from Gabriel Investment Syndicate and Scottish Enterprise.
Based at Edinburgh’s Royal Observatory, Aurora specialises in producing the electrical systems necessary for flight – the avionics.
Aurora’s co-founders aim to develop a universal system for rocket developers as interest continues to grow in space exploration.
Chief executive Oren Smith-Carpenter said: “We want to revolutionise this hugely wasteful process – and enable launch vehicle manufacturers to launch rockets promptly and inexpensively using our modular and reliable systems.”
Rowland Fraser, co-founder and chief technical officer, said: "Our vision, of a universal modular system, will result in a step-change in development time, cost and reliability.
“We will give manufacturers access to the best technology to power the next generation of space vehicles.”
Aurora Avionics is setting out to reduce waste and cost while increasing reliability.
Gillian MacAulay, director of the Gabriel Investment Syndicate, said: “We are delighted to have led the investment deal into this exciting young company.
“We believe that this is a very dynamic market sector to be involved in, and with the advent of a UK Space Port, we feel there is tremendous growth in this area, and we are pleased to be working closely with such a dynamic team who have a wealth of experience and expertise to bring to the table.”
Aurora Avionics has said it is on track to have a full prototype system ready for testing within the year.
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