Space AND Sustainability with Phil Chambers, CEO of Orbex

How can space launches become sustainable? Orbex is making it possible! Phil Chambers, CEO of Orbex sits down with Ilham to talk about how his company is building the most advanced, low carbon, micro launch vehicles in the world. They discuss the Orbex Prime rocket which will launch later this year; their creation of the first bio-friendly fuel launch system that slashes emissions more than 90%; how to build a company culture; his advice to young entrepreneurs, and more. 

Timestamps

• 1:24 - The spark for his entrepreneurial spirit
• 3:15 - Interest in space
• 4:42 - The first vertical launch space rocket from British soil
• 7:41 - Building the most advanced, low carbon micro launch vehicles in the world!
• 10:50 - How the Prime rocket will change satellite launches
• 13:01 - When will it launch?
• 13:54 - Managing risks
• 15:39 - Building the core values of your company
• 19:00 - Advice to young entrepreneurs
• 20:55 - An avid birdwatcher!

Phil Chambers is a leading entrepreneur who has played pivotal roles in some of Europe's most successful startups. He is now the CEO of Orbex, which is a UK based launch services company in the small satellite industry. Orbex has developed one of the most advanced, low carbon, high performance, micro launch vehicles in the world, and at Syensqo we are proud to partner with Orbex to provide the advanced materials for their Prime rocket.

For additional details about the podcast, show notes, and access to resources mentioned during the show, please visit https://www.syensqo.com/en/podcast

Transcript

Space AND Sustainability with Phil Chambers, CEO of Orbex

Ilham Kadri: Hello, everyone. I'm thrilled to be here today with Phil Chambers, the CEO of Orbex. Philip is the leading entrepreneur who has played pivotal roles in some of Europe's most successful startups. He is now the CEO of Orbex, which is a UK based launch services company in the small satellite industry.

Orbex has developed one of the most advanced, low carbon, high performance, micro launch vehicles in the world, and at Syensqo we are proud to partner with Orbex to provide the advanced materials for their prime rocket, which we'll hear more about soon. Phil, thank you so much for joining us today.

Phil Chambers: Thank you for having me. It's great to be on the show.

The spark for his entrepreneurial spirit

Ilham Kadri: So Phil, you are such a successful entrepreneur and you've been at the helm of several successful tech startups before becoming CEO of Orbex. I always like to find out where my guests got their spark. So, was there a moment in your life that really instilled the entrepreneurial spirit in you, Phil, and I believe you grew up in the UK, right?

Did it start when you were very young, or did that passion come later?

Phil Chambers: It started at a very young age, to be honest. I think you could probably blame my parents, who instilled this entrepreneurial spirit. My brother and I never got any pocket money as children, so we were always forced to come up with madcap schemes in order to make a living. It started with keeping chickens and selling the eggs locally. Then we started building motorbike engines and outboard engines. We bought broken ones from classified ad sites and sold them on eBay. Then we got into building computers, and around 1997 the internet arrived and I realised you could make more money by building websites.

And that's really where my passion for technology came from. I was fortunate enough to have my first computer bought for me, for Christmas when I was age five.  Back then you had to program them, it was Commodore C16 plus four. So I was exposed to technology at a very early age. And, I was always encouraged to try things and some of those schemes failed and some of them succeeded.

Interest in space

Ilham Kadri: Yeah, and what's about space then, Phil? What drew you to this Orbex adventure? Were you always interested in space or was it more the business side that attracted you?

Phil Chambers: I was actually very interested in space, like most children from a very, very early age.

Ilham Kadri: Dreaming about going to the moon, all right?

Phil Chambers: Yeah, I remember my book on the space shuttle that I had in the 80s that inspired me. I remember the Challenger disaster and the various  problems that NASA had at that time. So I was fascinated by space flight and from a very early age, I wanted to be an astronaut. By the time university came around, I did a computer engineering degree and then worked at Airbus in software, but the space bug was there.  

In 2022, an investor I work with, Jimmy, based in Denmark, came to me and said, "I've invested in a rocket company." I thought that sounded very interesting, and in the end, I went to Scotland to meet Orbex, had a look around the factory, and invested in the company in 2022

The first vertical launch space rocket from British soil

Ilham Kadri: Yeah, amazing. And I know maybe for our audience that, you know, the UK is not always thought of as a space hub, right? But things are changing. I've heard you say this before that there is a new space race in Europe and that the UK could emerge as the champion in this. What's interesting is that the UK government wants to become a hub for small satellite launches and emerging space transformation markets. Now, Orbex is going to play a key role in making this happen. You're actually building the UK's first ever vertical launch space rocket, and it's coming from a British majority on the rockets and launching from British soil. That must be exciting, right? How does it feel to be such a, you know, a big part of transformation in the UK and Europe's [00:05:00] space landscape?

Phil Chambers:  It’s extremely exciting. If we take a walk back in history, the UK was actually a pioneer in satellite launching and held a leadership position in the 1960s with a rocket called Blue Streak. The UK successfully launched a satellite from Australia and was later involved in the first Ariane program, but for various reasons, the UK stepped away from that program. European countries - particularly France, Germany, Italy and Spain - became dominant with the Ariane program, which went on to become the most successful commercial launcher in Europe and the world. It held over 50% market share for 40 years.

Then, in 2006, NASA launched the COTS program, and a little-known company called SpaceX decided to enter the market. We all know what happened next, right? Initially dismissed, they went on to become absolutely dominant.

Now, a new wave of European startups is entering the market, offering to do things differently in Europe. Orbex is one of those companies. Of course, we face strong competition from France, Germany and Spain, but we are hoping to launch the first British-made rocket from British soil.

I think you've seen a real change in UK government policy over the last 12 months. Previously, the UK was seen as a great place to launch satellites, particularly into polar orbits. But now, with the new government in place, they have also acknowledged the importance of launch capability. The UK is not only a place to launch rockets but also a place to manufacture them, as well as being a world leader in satellite manufacturing. The complete value chain is now available in the United Kingdom.

Building the most advanced, low carbon micro launch vehicles in the world!

Ilham Kadri: And what is interesting, and this is the heart of this podcast, is AND is the future, A-N-D, right? The power of bringing up with opposites, you know, concepts or perceived opposite concepts into harmony. And not only are you going to make that happen, Phil, but you are going to do it sustainably, right? So, because Orbex has developed one of the most advanced, low carbon,  high performance, micro launch vehicles in the world and you are using even bio LPG, 100 percent renewable fuel, which means you have the worst first bio friendly fuel launch system and slashes emissions by more than 90%. And this is amazing. Because when you think that you need, obviously to have such launches, which are, you know, energy hungry, right? And high emissions, right? Type of, yeah, mobility you are, you know, disrupting and slashing emissions by more than 90 percent just unheard of. So how did you achieve this? And do you think what you've achieved on sustainability could influence the wider space industry and why not even the aviation industry?

Phil Chambers: Yeah, great question. I think there have been three major problems with space launch and sustainability. One, which you already mentioned, is the most obvious—the carbon dioxide emissions. The imperative to reduce CO₂ in everything we do is absolutely clear.

The second issue is slightly more esoteric: black carbon emissions, particularly from kerosene-based fuel, which is the traditional rocket fuel and very similar to jet fuel RP-1. This does not burn cleanly in a rocket engine, generating a significant amount of soot in the upper atmosphere, which poses a major problem.

The third, of course, is space debris, which is becoming an increasing issue. People are leaving unused or spent rocket stages in orbit, leading to collisions. Some have even blown up satellites, adding to the debris problem.

From the outset, we designed Orbex Prime to be the world's most environmentally friendly rocket. We wanted to align fully with ESA’s Clean Space Initiative and the growing demand for sustainable launch solutions from both industry and institutional customers. It made no sense to us to launch satellites with earth observation and sustainability applications on rockets with massive fossil fuel footprints.

So, we offer the option to use bio-LPG, which is 100% derived from renewable fuel sources, including plant and vegetable waste. As you mentioned, it reduces carbon emissions by up to 96% compared to traditional fuels. We also leave zero debris in orbit and have a reusable first stage, allowing us to retrieve, refurbish, and reuse some of the components. We even hold a global patent in over a dozen countries for this REFLIGHT technology.

The space industry has traditionally relied on high-emission fossil fuels, but with the exponential growth in space launches over the last decade, building sustainable launch systems is now more important than ever.

How the Prime rocket will change satellite launches

Ilham Kadri: Yeah, this is amazing. And we're so excited and proud about the launch of prime as a partner. And the prime is your 19 m long to stage rocket designed to transport small satellites into low Earth orbit. And by the way, we are also so proud to provide this advanced material for these rockets and so excited to see it launch. Can you tell our audience more about the prime rocket and how it's going to change the way satellite launches are done in the future?

Phil Chambers: Orbex Prime is a 19-metre, two-stage rocket designed to carry small satellites into low Earth orbit (LEO), approximately 500 kilometres above the Earth’s surface. For reference, the International Space Station is at around 400 kilometres. There are many LEO satellites positioned at 500 kilometres and slightly higher.

We have completely rethought and redesigned the vehicle to make it as light as possible - which is where Syensqo comes in with its advanced materials. We've utilised additive manufacturing for most of the propulsion system and incorporated Syensqo’s carbon fibre and graphene composites into the main structures and tanks.

Speaking of the tanks, we have developed a coaxial tanking system, which works like a Russian doll. At the very centre, there is high-pressure helium, surrounded by bio-LPG, and on the outside, liquid oxygen. This design allows for densification of the LPG, reduces overall mass, and requires fewer end domes. We are the first company to build an entirely carbon-fibre, linerless coaxial tank operating at cryogenic pressures in Scotland—a major achievement for which we hold another global patent. This wouldn't have been possible without Syensqo’s material science expertise.

So far, we have eight launches booked with customers such as Surrey Satellite Technology, one of the UK’s leading satellite manufacturers, and D-Orbit, which enables on-demand satellite deployment. And this is just the beginning - Prime is our first rocket, but its technology will lay the foundation for the next generation of larger and more sustainable launch vehicles.

When will it launch?

Ilham Kadri: Wow. So for our audience who may not know, when will the prime rocket launch and can our listeners watch it, Phil?

Phil Chambers: Yeah, absolutely. The first launch is scheduled to take place towards the end of this year, so keep an eye on Orbex Space on social media. Please do follow us - we’ll be sharing all the details in the lead-up to the launch.

The launch will take place from Unst, the third-largest of the Shetland Islands and the most northerly point of the UK. If you're planning to watch, please don’t just turn up- stay tuned to our social channels, where we’ll provide information on safe and responsible viewing locations, as well as live streams and updates. We’ll keep you posted!

Managing risks

Ilham Kadri: And we'll be with you. Syensqo will be watching and count on us to follow that. What's our Is the biggest challenges and opportunities in these particular markets of small satellite launches because no space launches without risk, right? Do you ever have technical setbacks? And I think you, you may face many, you know, in the journey of the launches and how have you managed this and what has that taught you?

Phil Chambers: Yeah, I think there are many challenges. It’s obviously a regulated environment, and much of the regulation is still relatively new. The UK Space Act is fairly recent, so we’ve been working closely with the regulator, alongside the Civil Aviation Authority, to ensure everything is conducted safely and compliantly.

Another major challenge is financing. As a deep tech company in space launch, you don’t get paid until you actually start launching rockets. This means there’s a long period of development with no revenue, making it difficult to secure funding for that phase.

Any space rocket programme carries risks, especially when you're driving significant innovation. We’re developing a completely new engine system architecture using a new fuel, but it’s not as simple as just swapping fuels - it involves creating a brand-new tanking system that has never been done before, along with multiple new structural components. Every subsystem has undergone fresh development, which brings the potential for significant margin improvements and faster iteration cycles.

Of course, as I’m sure you know from Syensqo, when developing new technology, things don’t always go to plan. That’s why we’ve built resilience into our development processes. We’ll learn from any challenges and setbacks, but we remain committed to pushing this technology forward.

Building the core values of your company

Ilham Kadri: Yeah, and I want maybe to switch gears now and talk more about company culture, too, because I heard you say once that you neglect the core values of your company at your peril and, indeed. At Syensqo and in my career, the core values and the purpose of any companies at the end of the day, the soul of the company, and I couldn't agree more. It's all about purpose, isn't it? How have you built these core values in your company, in the companies you've run?

Phil Chambers: I think core values aren’t just something you can pay lip service to, and they’re not something management can simply dictate. It’s important to distil what makes your company unique, why it exists, and what drives its purpose. More than that, it’s about taking employees on the journey to help codify those values.

I’ve been through this process in several companies, and I believe it’s essential to involve every employee or at least give them the opportunity to contribute. It’s not a quick process - it takes time to refine, wordsmith, and truly define values that, when you read them back, sound uniquely yours. They should capture the essence of what makes people excited to work at your company.

Too often, companies go through this exercise and end up with six generic words. You have to ask yourself: Could these words describe any other company? If the answer is yes, then you probably haven’t captured what makes your organisation distinct.

Many pay lip service to values or ignore them entirely, but in the long run, they are foundational for scaling successfully. They set expectations for how people behave, what it means to work at the company, and how accountability is upheld. If those values aren’t being reflected, what happens next? They underpin everything.

I’d highly recommend any CEO listening to this podcast - if they’re not satisfied with their company’s values - to take a step back, reassess, and go through the process properly.

Ilham Kadri: And I'm sure this resonates a lot with the Syensqo explorers. We don't call ourselves actually employees, but explorers. Our company, you know,   was born out of a vision of innovation and we split from 160 year old Solvay and we had actually to redefine who we are from finding a new name to branding to your right purpose. Why do we exist. Why when we separate from 160 year old company, what's in there for us? And we had, you know, to really reinvent ourselves. And it was, you're right. One of the best exercises I've ever done in my 30 years of career, right? And 10 years of the CEO is really to sit down. And think about deeply about our purpose and why we exist and how to embark the source, the mindset, the heart of our employees of our customers, of the communities where we work. I can just agree with you.

Advice to young entrepreneurs

I know a lot of listeners feel are young entrepreneurs. And we see you as a role model. And as you know, this post cuts is all about how we can be both sustainable and profitable in businesses. And you are such a great example of this. What advice would you give business leaders, young entrepreneurs who want to create thriving startups that are also sustainable?

Phil Chambers: It needs to be fundamental to the business model and work synergistically with it. We decided we wanted to achieve as close to zero-carbon launches as possible, which meant rethinking everything from the ground up. That required designing a completely new engine, one that had never been built before, and developing a tanking system that had never been done before - so that, a decade later, we could deliver a zero-carbon launcher.

I truly believe that sustainability creates value- whether through cost savings, greater investor appeal, or stronger relationships with institutional customers. In the long term, the market direction is clear. Politically, we’re living in an interesting time, and while it may feel like we’re taking a couple of steps back on climate commitments like the Paris Agreement, the overall trend is undeniable: we need to build zero-carbon products and systems.

Companies and countries that commit to this now will gain a long-term competitive advantage. This temporary bump in the road isn’t something to be overly concerned about. The key is to take action now- don’t wait for the perfect moment to start. The businesses driving the next wave of innovation are the ones tackling tomorrow’s challenges today- so go and do it.

An avid birdwatcher!

Ilham Kadri: Yeah, it's beautiful advice. I'm sure like a lot of our guests, your work is your passion and we can hear it. We can see it in your career path, but everyone needs to unwind, right? What do you enjoy doing when you are not focusing or focused on launching rockets into space?

Phil Chambers: Well, I'm fortunate that Orbex is based in a beautiful location on the Moray Coast in northern Scotland. When I took the job in Forres, where our rocket factory is located, I bought a house in Findhorn Village, just down the road. It’s an incredible estuary, home to hundreds of thousands of water birds and waterfowl.

My passion is birdwatching, and I spend quite a lot of time doing it. In fact, just before joining Orbex, after finishing with my last company, Peakon, I took six months off on a mission to try and see every species of penguin in the world. There are 19 species - and maybe I should have made that a quiz question, Ilham - but I managed to see 15. So at some point in the future, I’ll definitely be returning to find the rest!

Ilham Kadri: So few more to come. Amazing. So you are birdwatcher and you look at the sky, right? And we're aiming for space. Well, thank you so much, Phil, for coming on the podcast. I loved hearing about how you are making launches more efficient and more sustainable. And I'm sure you have been inspiring many around you and definitely our listeners today that sustainability and making business and profitability real. It's part of any journey, right? And you've inspired our audience to go for the launch, whether it be a new product, a new business, or rockets into space. Thank you very much, Phil.

Phil Chambers: Thanks for the invite, Ilham. Great to be here.