The UK Space Agency has awarded ClearSpace UK an £61 million contract to build a robotic spacecraft designed to grab and remove two defunct British satellites from low-Earth orbit by 2032. Launching from Scotland in 2029, the mission aims to pioneer multi-target orbital cleanup.
UK Space Agency Awards ClearSpace £61 Million Contract
The UK Space Agency signed a contract with aerospace manufacturing company ClearSpace to develop specialist spacecraft capable of capturing derelict orbiters.
New Atlas reports the agreement is valued at £61 million (approximately $81 million). Other reports note that initial figures cited £60 million before identifying the £61 million total. Fox News also reports the project backing at roughly $81 million, with New York Post further specifying the contract value.
Space Minister Liz Lloyd emphasized the importance of the initiative. She stated that space junk and debris present a growing challenge, but with homegrown expertise, the nation aims to lead global cleanup efforts.
SaxaVord Spaceport Launches Mission to Clear Two Defunct Satellites
Known formally as the Active Debris Removal Programme, the mission will embark from Scotland in 2029. The spacecraft will launch from SaxaVord Spaceport in the Shetland Islands, located north of Scotland, with the specific goal of destroying two dead orbiters by 2032.
These inactive spacecraft currently pose a great risk to active counterparts that provide everyday utilities like GPS and communications. Ingesting these dead objects is critical because they lack propulsion or command responses.
By backing this world-first mission, we will protect the satellites that underpin modern life, from keeping us connected with loved ones and delivering accurate weather forecasts to keeping our country safe.
Liz Lloyd, UK Space Minister, via New York Post
Specialized Robotic Arms Enable Controlled Mechanical Capture
The servicing spacecraft will approach silent targets that no longer respond to ground commands. The design relies on specialized robotic arms—described in reports as interstellar reacher sticks or cosmic dump trucks—to swoop up the defunct hardware.
Operating under autonomous Guidance, Navigation, and Control, the chaser vehicle will inspect the motion and structure of the target before making a controlled mechanical capture. After gathering the debris, the refuelable spacecraft will gently escort the items into the lower atmosphere so they can burn up harmlessly during re-entry. By retaining fuel and parking at a safe orbit, the servicing vehicle can avoid becoming part of the problem and execute future cleanups.
European Space Agency Tracks Thousands of Objects in Earth Orbit
According to European Space Agency statistics, approximately 35,000 to 50,000 objects are regularly tracked, including active satellites, inactive spacecraft, and rocket bodies.
Ewan Wright, a space environmentalist from the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, Canada, warned that roughly 124 rocket stages reentered the atmosphere uncontrolled in 2024. He cautioned that if that launch cadence holds for the next decade, the risk of someone somewhere being killed by rocket debris alone is 33%
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Orbital Debris Threatens the International Space Station
Crowded orbital paths create severe hazards for operational assets, including crewed platforms. The European Space Agency has warned that active debris removal will become necessary to prevent long-term debris growth driven by cascading collisions.
When two large objects collide, they generate thousands of new fragments that multiply the danger for functioning systems.
Astronauts aboard the International Space Station face acute risks from debris. This debris travels through orbit.
Britain's $81 million plan to clean up spaceThe UK Space Agency has selected aerospace company ClearSpace UK to develop a spacecraft specifically designed to remove dead satellites from orbit. The contract is valued at approximately $81 million. The project is part of… pic.twitter.com/d4nKbghkik
The European Space Agency has warned that impacts from objects of substantial size could penetrate the protective shielding of the orbital laboratory.
Previous incidents have forced astronauts and cosmonauts to shelter inside docked spacecraft while teams evaluated incoming threats, demonstrating how quickly orbital breakups can disrupt space operations.
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