Andy Bradford

Andy is the Chief Technology Officer at Orbex, leading the engineering division with a focus on the development of the Orbex Prime micro-launcher – he oversees key functions including: Systems Engineering, Structures, Propulsion, Software, Avionics, Guidance, Navigation & Control (GNC), Assembly, Integration & Test (AIT) and Launch Operations.

With over 30 years of experience in the space industry, he has held senior roles including Programme and Engineering Director at SSTL, one of the UK’s foremost satellite manufacturers. From 2015 to 2017, Andy represented Firefly Space Systems in Europe, strengthening transatlantic collaboration. He has also led key UK Space Agency studies, notably the 2013 “Towards a UK Launch Infrastructure” and the 2016 “SCEPTRE” study, which explored commercial and technical pathways for UK launch services. 

Andy plays an active role in shaping the industry’s future, serving as Chair of the UKspace Launch Committee (ULC), a member of the UK Spaceflight Safety and Regulatory Council (SSRC), and an Advisory Board member for the Earth & Space Sustainability Initiative (ESSI).