London’s ExCeL center recently hosted Space-Comm Expo 2025, the UK’s largest industry event for the space sector. More than 5,000 people attended the two-day trade show, which featured 200 exhibitors and over 120 speakers from the global space, aerospace, and defense industries.
Now in its fifth year, the UK space expo was headlined by Virgin Galactic founder Sir Richard Branson and musician-turned-experimental physicist Professor Brian Cox. They discussed the vast potential of the “space economy,” projected to surpass $2 trillion by 2035.
Cox expects technological development to accelerate, leading to commercial space stations and human bases on the moon within the next 15 years. Branson shared his ambition to take 750 people to space annually by 2027. The British billionaire believes Virgin Galactic’s new Delta spaceship will eventually be able to fly twice a week. He also outlined Virgin’s optimistic goal to produce a new spaceship every six weeks.
Space-Comm 2025 exhibitors dedicated primarily to 3D printing included US-based OEM Markforged, Windform composite developer CRP Technology, and on-demand manufacturing provider Protolabs. Digital design and simulation software developers, including Dassault Systèmes, Siemens Digital Industries Software, and COMSOL, were also in attendance.
Elsewhere, many companies on the show floor actively leverage 3D printing for prototyping and end-use production. I caught up with Scottish private rocket manufacturer Skyrora to learn about their 3D printed 70kN rocket engine. Similarly, UK-based aerospace firm Orbex 3D prints rockets in Copenhagen. The company is currently developing the Prime two-stage launch vehicle, and plans to propel satellites into orbit from the SaxaVord Spaceport and its proposed Sutherland Spaceport in northern Scotland. I also spoke with the Founders of UK startup Initium Aerospace about their combustion-free space rocket enabled by additive manufacturing.
Brian Cox and Richard Branson on the $2TN space opportunity
In his opening address at Space-Comm 2025, Cox discussed the future of space exploration and the economic and scientific opportunities it presents.
In particular, Cox highlighted the untapped potential of asteroid mining. The celebrity scientists pointed to a photograph of Ceres, the largest object in the asteroid belt between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter. Cox called the dwarf planet “both scientifically interesting and exciting from a resource perspective” because of the vast reserves of water beneath its surface.
According to Cox, Ceres may contain more liquid water than Earth. “Ceres shows us the opportunities,” he continued, highlighting the substantial deposits of platinum, iron, and other precious metals on similar celestial bodies.
He also highlighted what he believes to be the often-overlooked value of knowledge in space exploration, particularly in fundamental physics. He discussed how Albert Einstein’s century-old prediction of black holes, modeled on his theory of general relativity, has been visually confirmed by the Event Horizon Telescope.
The University of Manchester professor added that research into black holes has helped advance quantum sensors and quantum computing technology, fields now key to economic growth. Cox believes this exemplifies the serendipitous link between scientific curiosity and technological progress.
“There’s an intimate link between the knowledge that we have generated invested in these things in the sky, and the direct engineering challenge,” explained the former Dare and D:Ream keyboardist. “Quantum computing, astrophysics, fundamental theoretical physics and space exploration join together in a way that would have been unforeseen, probably even 10 or 15 years ago.”
Branson joined Space-Comm 2025 via video link from Necker Island. He believes the recent actions by US President Donald Trump will create unity in Europe, driving new levels of European space innovation. The business magnate called space tech vital in the war between Ukraine and Russia. “We can no longer rely on the Americans,” Branson explained. “Europe must act on its own and work as one to replace everything and anything that America has been doing.”
Looking ahead, the Time 100 Most Influential People in the World alumni highlighted the development of Virgin Galactic’s new Delta Spaceship. Having started subsystem testing last May, Branson is confident Delta will drastically increase the number of commercial spaceflights.
While “only about 700 people have been to space” to-date, Branson hopes his commercial space ships will eventually take 750 people a year. Virgin’s previous vehicles required up to two months of checks and repairs between flights, limiting their annual capacity. Branson hopes his new Delta systems will be able to fly twice a week and set out the ambitious goal of eventually producing a new ship every six weeks.
Branson’s company has not revealed whether it uses 3D printing, but the time savings from additive manufacturing could help it reach his ambitious production targets.
3D printing space rockets
3D printing allows for more complex designs, reduced material usage, and shorter lead times than conventional manufacturing. As a result, several Space-Comm 2025 exhibitors use additive manufacturing to produce rocket engines.
Skyrora is well known for its 3D printed 70kN rocket engine. The company’s large-scale Skyprint 2 Directed Energy Deposition (DED) 3D printers reportedly cut production times by 66%, unlocking 20% cost savings.
At Space-Comm 2025, Derek Harris, Skyrora’s Head of Business Development, explained that 70% to 80% of the 70kN is 3D printed in-house, including the chambers and gas generators. Additive manufacturing allows the company to achieve otherwise impossible geometries while reducing the number of parts. According to Harris, this significantly streamlines the inspection and non-destructive assessment stages that follow engine tests.
In 2023, Skyrora began full-duration testing to qualify its updated 70kN engine design. The company now only has to complete two more tests to achieve ESA qualification. Following this, the space manufacturer is targeting a major first-stage engine testing program. Harris explained that the company has 3D printed six of the nine main first-stage engines. He expects the remaining three will be ready by July 2025, before first-stage testing begins in October. “It’s certainly going to be a sight to see,” added Harris.
Initium Aerospace is another UK company 3D printing rocket engines. Officially incorporated last year, the graduate and student-led space startup boasts one of the youngest teams in the industry. Its Co-founders, Daniel Choupak and Conrad Elbouridi Scheibye, are just 16 years old.
The company is currently developing the Initium I, a two-stage launch vehicle for nano and micro-scale satellites. Powered by bipropellant liquid fuel, the rocket utilizes a hydrogen peroxide turbopump, removing the need for internal combustion. This lowers internal heat stress and removes soot buildup for easier re-usability.
Choupak told me they use metal 3D printing for the rocket’s nozzle and impeller components. “There are very small cooling channels inside the nozzle, given that it is a very small system,” explained the co-founder. “This is pretty difficult to machine in any other way.” He stated that CNC machining the impeller would require “a lot of material,” while additive manufacturing significantly reduces those requirements.
“Generally speaking, for any satellite between 50 to 200 kilos, we are the best option,” added Choupak. “We have the benefits of pricing and mission versatility without any of the wait times.”
Digital design and simulation for space applications
Digital design, modelling, and simulation are key stages in the process chain when manufacturing space-ready parts. They enable engineers to assess a part’s performance before it is 3D printed, saving time and material. Simulation also facilitates digital troubleshooting, allowing designers to optimize part performance.
Stockholm-based COMSOL is active in this area, offering mathematical modeling and simulation software. During Space-Comm, the company’s Technical Manager, Nathaniel Davies, explained how these digital capabilities optimize space manufacturing.
COMSOL can be used to build digital models, including computational models, of real-world devices. This allows users to gain insights that are either impossible to achieve in the physical world, or would be inhibitingly expensive to do manually. According to Davies, these capabilities unlock “improved knowledge, better products, faster time to market, optimized production methods, and fewer prototypes.”
COMSOL’s computational software can also simulate complex, interconnected physical phenomena, known as multiphysics. “Essentially, it brings you a software that can simulate all of these different disciplines, structural mechanics, thermal modeling, electromagnetism, chemistry, you name it,” explained Davies. This allows the impact of different physical inputs to be simulated on digital models, ensuring they perform as intended.
The Manufacturing Technology Centre (MTC) in Coventry has used COMSOL software to prevent deformations in metal 3D printed components. The UK research organization developed an app using COMSOL Multiphysics, integrating a CAD import feature. This tool helps designers predict stresses and deformation during 3D printing, giving them a clear understanding of how thermal cycling will distort the final part. With this insight, they can adjust designs to minimize defects.
Space-COMM Expo 2025 also saw Airbus Defence and Space’s Head of Digital Mock Up Process and Implementation, Roy Haworth, and Scott Higgs, Dassault Systèmes’ UK Space Lead, discuss digital complexity.
Higgs explained that Dassault works extensively with the UK aerospace multinational as digital engineering partner. This collaboration spans over thirty years, and has seen Airbus adopt the French software developer’s 3DEXPERIENCE platform to “join together the disparate systems we have used in the past.” The leading airplane maker used 3DX to create a digital thread that manages the company’s entire product development cycle from design to production. This increased manufacturing efficiency, overcoming historical data handoff and manual transformation challenges.
Haworth also explained how Airbus is leveraging additive manufacturing, highlighting its value for mass optimization and design efficiency. “In space, additive manufacturing has got very subtle possibilities,” explained the former Royal Navy engineer. While the company doesn’t use 3D printing for “serial production,” it is valuable for small-batch manufacturing where design efficiency matters.
He pointed to performance advantages for space, aerospace, and defense applications. For example, Haworth explained, “you can 3D print filters exactly as you want them to perform,” eliminating the need for lengthy tuning and testing processes. In particular, he identified satellites as increasingly incorporating 3D printed components.
Additive manufacturing also plays a key role in rapid prototyping at Airbus, helping simulate spacecraft components before they arrive. “There’s many different uses, and there’s no single killer business case,” added Haworth. “It’s about understanding what the capabilities are, and then delivering it.”
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Featured image shows Brian Cox speaking at Space-Comm Expo 2025. Photo by 3D Printing Industry.
