John Bone. Photo: Orbex

Orbex has appointed John Bone as its new chief commercial officer, the company announced Dec. 6. This appointment comes as Orbex advances its preparations for the launch of Orbex Prime, which could be the U.K. mainland’s first vertical rocket launch. Bone will be responsible for driving the commercial strategy of Orbex, leveraging his experience and network to establish and nurture  partnerships and expand Orbex’s presence in the global market.

Orbex Prime is a 19-meter-long reusable rocket designed to launch small satellites into Polar and Sun-Synchronous Orbits. Built with sustainability in mind, it uses, bio-propane, a renewable form of biofuel and is designed to leave zero debris in orbit. Prime became one of the first full orbital micro-launcher rockets to be unveiled in Europe in May 2022. Orbex already secured several commercial launch contracts with satellite manufacturers.

“The addition of John to our team marks a significant milestone in Orbex’s journey. His extensive experience and networking credentials in the space industry are exactly what Orbex needs at this crucial stage. We are confident that John’s leadership will greatly contribute to our mission of becoming a leader in the small satellite launch sector,” Martin Coates, CEO at Orbex, said in a statement.