HeLIX Exploration PLC (AIM:HEX) has positioned itself strategically to capitalise on the expanding space economy, which is expected to grow to a monumental $1.8 trillion by 2035.
Chairman David Minchin highlights the critical role of helium in rocket launches, noting its unique properties such as low boiling point, lightweight, and inertness, which prevent accidental explosions. Helium is indispensable in several key rocket functions: it pressurises the fuel chambers, purges unspent fuel to prevent ignition risks, and cools engine components during the high demands of a launch.
Minchin says the burgeoning demand for rocket launches, illustrated by the increasing number of global space missions, underscores helium's significance. In 2023 alone, there were 197 space launches, and this trend of exponential growth is expected to persist. This surge is largely fuelled by the deployment of satellite constellations, such as those planned by SpaceX’s Starlink, which aims to launch 42,000 satellites in the coming years.
Given this scenario, Minchin says Helix's focus on low-cost and low-risk helium extraction from known gas fields in Montana places it in an advantageous position to meet the rising global demand for helium, essential for the space industry’s growth.
