Benchmark Space Systems
Kicks Off European Expansion with Major Propulsion
Contract Supporting Space Forge’s Sustainable
In-Space Manufacturing Mission
May 24, 2022
With a new major propulsion
contract signed to support Space Forge’s in-space
manufacturing mission, Benchmark Space Systems today
announced it has opened a manufacturing and testing
facility Northwest of London to build a regional
team and its Starling and Halcyon propulsion systems
to help empower the flourishing European space
sector.
The agreement brings together
two of the fastest growing space tech startups in
the UK and US that share an energy and passion for
pushing innovation to further drive the
accessibility and sustainability of space.
Space Forge and Benchmark will
co-develop reusable generations of Benchmark’s
chemical propulsion systems to power Space Forge’s
returnable and re-launchable ForgeStar satellites.
The spacecraft can be deployed from conventional
launchers to carry out in-space manufacturing then
reliably return to Earth with pinpoint accuracy,
propelled by a variety of brief and continuous
thruster burns, to enable the delivery of products
and materials made in space.
Space Forge’s in-space
manufacturing leverages the weightlessness,
ultra-high vacuum, and temperature
extremes of space to create products
impossible to manufacture on Earth. Benchmark will
provide propulsion for the first Space Forge
in-space manufacturing and return demonstration
mission, known as the ForgeStar-1, aimed at proving
out the ability to make products on orbit that offer
unprecedented performance and efficiencies to reduce
the environmental impact of Earth-based technology.
With a current technical staff
of four in place, Benchmark expects to have seven to
eight UK-based employees this year and has initially
identified and secured production and testing space
within the Satellite Applications Catapult facility
at the Westcott Innovation Centre (WBIC) in
Aylesbury, England, home of the UK’s propulsion
research and development. The company plans to begin
producing and shipping propulsion systems to Space
Forge in Cardiff, Wales and other customers
throughout the European region later this year.
“Benchmark has kicked off its
UK expansion with a landmark contract with Space
Forge focused on the development and delivery of
reusable propulsion systems to power breakthrough
manufacturing capabilities in space,” said Mark
Arthur, a space industry veteran who was named
Director of European Operations for Benchmark last
year. “Benchmark is thrilled to bring our
flight-proven propulsion platforms, tech, and
relationships to the vital European space market. We
will leverage our team’s expertise abroad and in the
US to enable an exciting mix of missions designed to
help our customers and partners around the world
solve key challenges, such as in-space production,
space debris and collision avoidance.”
“Space Forge is transforming
the return of satellites and other vehicles from
space to enable the production of revolutionary
products in key markets that will benefit everyone
on Earth, and Benchmark Space System’s proven
propulsion systems are a key enabler of our in-space
manufacturing mission,” said Andrew Bacon, Space
Forge CTO and Co-Founder.
Space Forge CEO and Co-Founder
Joshua Western commented, “Space Forge and Benchmark
will be creating much of the empowering
infrastructure for a new age industrial revolution
that isn’t on Earth. We’re delighted to have them
onboard for our missions.”
Sam Adlen, Chief Strategy
Officer at Satellite Applications Catapult
commented, “We’re delighted that Benchmark will
develop their innovative propulsion systems at the
Westcott Innovation Centre, and that we will be able
to support their growth through our range of
facilities and expertise. Benchmark is the latest
company to join the thriving Westcott Space Cluster,
and the site is re-establishing its historic
importance as the home of propulsion testing in the
UK.”
“Benchmark’s flexible and
collaborative design approach to tailored propulsion
systems has been well received across the UK space
sector, much like it has in the US where we are
tripling production capacity and doubling our team
to build more than 150 systems over the next
year-and-a-half,” said Ryan McDevitt, Benchmark CEO.
“We are thrilled to have Mark Arthur lead our
customer-centric business across Europe, where
Benchmark will leverage our proven propulsion
systems, trusted relationships with industry
leaders, and our global presence to unlock new and
exciting opportunities in the European market, which
has been supportive of non-toxic propellant
adoption.”
Mark Arthur, who heads up
Benchmark’s new European operation, is a seasoned UK
space industry veteran with deep engineering,
management, and operations experience with a broad
range of global space and defense companies,
including Raytheon, SES, AAC Clyde Space and Airbus,
among others. Arthur’s award-winning career spans
three decades of innovative leadership, beginning
with twelve years of service with the Royal Air
Force. He is currently nominated for the 2022
Scottish Ex-Forces Outstanding Achiever of the Year
Award.
Benchmark is engaged with
multiple new space players in the UK and European
market, including established satellite
manufacturing and propulsion companies that are keen
to explore the technical capability and benefits
Benchmark propulsion systems and solutions bring to
satellites, OTV, and even larger spacecraft and the
new space economy and a broad range of LEO, GEO, and
cislunar missions.
Westcott has played a leading
role in rocket propulsion since 1946, with notable
contributions including key input on designs for the
Blue Streak missile and the propulsion systems on
Chevaline. Until the mid-1990s, Westcott was
responsible for the design and development of most
of the rocket motors used in British guided missiles
and research vehicles. Known as the Rocket
Propulsion Establishment, portions of the Westcott
Venture Park are on the site of the former RAF
Westcott. Benchmark will build on the deep history
of the region’s propulsion innovation with its
collaborative co-development of reusable propulsion
platforms.
Benchmark’s scalable, launch
vehicle agnostic propulsion product and services
suite supports a broad spectrum of spacecraft – from
3U CubeSats through ESPA-class (3-500kg) satellites,
lunar landers, spent launcher stages, and orbital
transfer vehicles (OTVs), which will enable a broad
range of in-space services and capabilities
supporting the space economy and ecosystem.
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