Be a part of history by naming the UK’s Active Debris Removal Mission, the UK Space Agency’s first ever national space mission.
The UK is leading the way in space sustainability, taking action to clean up our orbital environment.
Currently, satellites are thrown away after they stop working, sometimes for the simplest of reasons; like running out of fuel! This has led to an increasingly cluttered and potentially dangerous space environment.
New technologies are being developed to allow the repair or removal of broken and old satellites. We want your help to name our pioneering Active Debris Removal Mission.
If your mission name is selected, you will be making history by naming the ADR Mission and you will see the name etched on the side of a spacecraft!
Our competition is easy to enter and closes on Thursday 10 December 2026.
Enter here!The UK Space Agency is launching its first national space mission to tackle the growing threat of space debris. This marks a pivotal step in the UK’s efforts to protect vital space technology and ensure the long-term safety of the Earth’s orbit.
A special spacecraft built by ClearSpace UK with advanced British technology will fly into space and grab two old satellites that no longer work. It will gently guide them back towards Earth, where they will safely burn up in the atmosphere, helping to keep space clean and protecting the remaining satellites that we rely on every day for things like maps on our phones.
Learn more about the ADR Mission - LINK TO BE ADDED
Did you know?
There are nearly 13,000 working satellites orbiting Earth today, and thousands more are launched every year. By 2030, there could be around 60,000 satellites in Earth’s different orbits. These satellites help us with many things we use every day, including mobile phones, maps, weather forecasts and online banking. They also help scientists study our planet and support emergency services during disasters. Space around Earth is becoming crowded with space junk. This includes old satellites that no longer work, parts of rockets and other objects left behind in space. These pieces are travelling at incredible speeds, around 10 times faster than a bullet. If this space junk crashes into working satellites, it could damage or destroy them, affecting important services that people rely on every day. The mission is like a space clean-up. Just as we clean litter from streets and oceans, this mission will help remove old satellites from space to make it safer for everyone. This technology has never been used at this scale before. The mission will demonstrate how future spacecraft could safely remove space debris and help protect the space environment for generations to come. The mission uses British innovation. The spacecraft will showcase advanced robotic and navigation technology developed in the UK. Why do space missions have names?Space missions are often given memorable names that help people connect with and understand their purpose. Inspired by exploration, discovery, science and mythology, these names become an important part of a mission's identity and legacy.
A good mission name can tell a story, reflect the mission's objectives, celebrate discovery and exploration, or capture the imagination of the public.
Examples of famous mission names Mercury: NASA's first human spaceflight programme, named after the Roman messenger god, symbolising speed and exploration. Sojourner: The first Mars rover, named after civil rights campaigner Sojourner Truth, representing courage and pioneering spirit. Rosetta: ESA's comet mission, named after the Rosetta Stone, reflecting the mission's goal of helping scientists unlock secrets about the origins of the Solar System. JUICE (Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer): ESA's mission to study Jupiter's icy moons and investigate whether they may contain the conditions needed for life. BepiColombo: ESA and JAXA's mission to Mercury, named after Italian mathematician and engineer Giuseppe "Bepi" Colombo, whose work helped make the mission possible. Principia: The name chosen by British astronaut Tim Peake for his mission aboard the International Space Station. It honoured Sir Isaac Newton's Philosophiæ Naturalis Principia Mathematica, reflecting the UK's long history of scientific discovery. Beagle 2: HMS Beagle was the ship that took Charles Darwin on his voyage around the world in the 1830s and led to our knowledge about life on Earth making a real quantum leap. Beagle 2 aimed to do the same thing for life on Mars. Why naming matters for the Active Debris Removal missionThe Active Debris Removal mission is a pioneering step towards a safer and more sustainable space environment. Naming the mission will help raise public awareness, inspire future generations, celebrate UK innovation, and create a lasting identity for a mission that protects the space services we rely on every day.
The CompetitionThe theme for the competition is:
"A name inspired by keeping space clean and safe for future generations”
Entrants must provide:
A proposed mission name (maximum two words, can be an acronym). A short explanation (maximum 150 words) including how the name reflects the theme.What to think about for your name idea:
How does your mission name relate to the themes above? Does it make you think of cleaning space of unused spacecraft, making new things no one has made before, how we use space now and, in the future, or how we protect the Earth and the environment? Be creative! It could be a word, but it also could be a famous person’s name. The word could be a silly one, or a strange one, or from a different language! Keep it simple! The best names are often very easy to remember, easy to spell, and easy to see even when its written small. Enter here. Scope The competition is open to all UK residents; Entries from children under 18 must be sent by parents/carers or teachers/educators. One entry per person, multiple entries may result in all entries being disregarded. An entry can be submitted on behalf of a school, a class, youth group or community group. Mission names should: Be easy to pronounce. Work internationally. Avoid trademarks or copyrighted terms. Be politically neutral. Avoid Military-themed names. Commercial brands. Existing spacecraft names. Potentially offensive or controversial names. names that are known as trademarks or protected by intellectual property (e.g. Disney characters). exclude names that are known as trademarks or protected by intellectual property (e.g. Disney characters) Prizes Winner Your mission name selected, included on the mission patch and on the spacecraft. Framed certificate signed by the Space Minister and UK Space Agency Director. Additional prizes if winner is aged 7-18. Competition Timeline Competition launch: 9:30 am UK time, 15 October 2026 Entries Close: 5:00 pm UK time, 10 December 2026 Judging panel decision: w/c 11 January 2027 Winner announcement: TBC Additional Resourceshttps://www.gov.uk/guidance/space-related-educational-resources
See below links:
What is In-Orbit Servicing, Assembly and Manufacturing (ISAM) and Active Debris Removal. How will the UK Active Debris Removal Mission work - LINK TO BE ADDED Terms and ConditionsFull Competition Terms and Conditions can be found here.
Reserve Rights ClauseThe UK Space Agency retains the right not to select a public entry if:
The name fails legal checks. Trademark issues arise. The name creates programme risk.The winning entrant could instead be recognised as the inspiration for the final selected name.
Entries will be judged by a team in the UK Space Agency. The winning name is the judges’ decision and it's final.
Royalties & IP RightsThe UK Space Agency own all the rights to use the winning name for the purposes outlined in this document and for purposes related to UK Space Agency communications.
Personal Data:Information on how your personal data will be processed and stored and contact details can be found in the attached Privacy Notice.
Your rights under the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018 are not affected.
seen at 09:39, 15 October in UK Space Agency blog.