U.Okay.-based small launch developer Orbex is present process a change in management.

The corporate’s co-founder and (now former) CEO Chris Larmour stated on LinkedIn that he’ll now not be main the startup because it races to its first launch someday this yr.

His LinkedIn publish means that the departure was mutual: “I really feel I’ve taken [Orbex] so far as I can personally, and it’s time now to step away and let others lead the corporate to the subsequent degree.” However there is no such thing as a doubt {that a} main chief stepping away from an organization at such a pivotal level in its improvement – on this case, simply earlier than the primary take a look at of its microlauncher, Prime – suggests a extra uneasy exit.

The information is all of the extra puzzling as a result of Orbex had a slew of constructive information bulletins final yr. In October, the corporate closed $45.8 million in Sequence C funding led by new investor the Scottish Nationwide Funding Financial institution, a vote of confidence from the federal government. The next month, Orbex stated it had signed a lease with a Scottish developer to assemble a launch website close to Sutherland, within the northern a part of Scotland.

It’s unclear who will act as interim CEO whereas the corporate hunts for its subsequent head. TechCrunch has reached out to Orbex and can replace the story in the event that they reply.

Orbex is likely one of the most well-funded rocket startups in Europe, having raised practically £100 million ($124 million) since its founding in 2015. The corporate was solely just lately surpassed by German startup Isar Aerospace in March.