Have you ever wanted to name a spaceship? The UK Space Agency is offering a rare chance to do just that for its pioneering mission to clean up Earth's orbit, but you'll need to be quick as the clock is ticking on this unique opportunity.
A Janitor for the Final Frontier
Dubbed the Active
Debris Removal (ADR) mission, this world-first endeavour is Britain’s ambitious plan to tackle the growing problem of space junk. The mission, which has received over £60 million in government backing, will involve launching a spacecraft designed to hunt down and remove defunct satellites from orbit. In partnership with the UK branch of Swiss company ClearSpace, the spacecraft will be equipped with giant robotic claws to grab two non-operational, UK-registered satellites. Once captured, the spacecraft will drag them down into Earth's atmosphere, where they will safely burn up on reentry. It’s the first time a single spacecraft will attempt to dispose of more than one piece of debris in this manner.
The Orbital Junkyard Problem
For decades, humanity has been launching rockets and satellites, but not everything comes back down. Low Earth Orbit has become what NASA calls an 'orbital junkyard', cluttered with hundreds of thousands of pieces of tracked debris. This includes everything from dead satellites and spent rocket stages to smaller fragments from collisions, all travelling at speeds over 17,000 miles per hour. This high-speed junk poses a significant threat to the thousands of active satellites we rely on for GPS, weather forecasting, communications, and online banking. A collision with even a small piece of debris can be catastrophic, creating even more junk and threatening a chain reaction that could render parts of orbit unusable for generations.
How to Name the Mission
Recognising the historic nature of the mission, the UK Space Agency has opened the floor to the public to find a fitting name. The competition officially closes at 5:00 pm GMT on December 10, 2026. Submissions are being accepted via an online form on the UK Space Agency's website. Entrants are asked to suggest a name—a maximum of two words or an acronym—and provide a short explanation of up to 150 words on why their choice is suitable. The agency advises avoiding military themes, commercial brands, and names that are already in use for other space missions. While the competition is open to all ages, entries from those under 18 must be submitted by a parent or teacher, and it is only open to UK residents. The winning name is set to be etched onto the side of the spacecraft itself, becoming a permanent part of space history.
A Global Clean-Up Effort
While this is a UK-led national mission, the problem it addresses is global. Space agencies around the world, including the European Space Agency (ESA) and NASA, are all grappling with the issue of orbital debris. The UK's ADR mission, scheduled to launch from Scotland in 2029, is seen as a crucial step in developing the technologies needed for a sustainable future in space. Officials hope the mission will prove the viability of in_orbit servicing, a market predicted to grow into a billion_dollar industry that includes not just debris removal but also repairing and refuelling satellites. Success would position the UK as a leader in this emerging field, demonstrating technologies that could be used by other nations and private companies to keep our orbital highways clear and safe for all.
