Leicester firm selected to study new type of spacecraft

The UK Space Agency is set to fund a Leicester space and technology company to explore a new kind of spacecraft.

Meridian Space Command will receive £150,000 along with French startup Alpha Impulsion to study a new kind of in-space orbital transfer vehicle (OTV).

OTV’s are designed to use and burn a fuel tank that is itself made of fuel—to change its orbital trajectory.

The UK Space Agency contract funds a six-month preliminary design review of a cheaper OTV to create a more efficient way of getting around in space.

According to Payload, Meridian CEO Sam Richards said that the spacecraft could reach lunar orbit at a price point an order of magnitude cheaper than current chemical propulsion systems.

More here.