London, United Kingdom: The United Kingdom has announced a national Active Debris Removal (UK ADR) mission, backed by more than £60 million in government funding, to remove two defunct satellites from orbit by 2032. The mission will use a refillable spacecraft equipped with robotic capture technology to bring the satellites into a lower orbit, allowing them to re-enter Earth’s atmosphere and burn up naturally.
Announced on 15 October 2026 by the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade and the UK Space Agency, the programme aims to reduce the growing risk posed by orbital debris to operational satellites supporting navigation, communications, weather forecasting and national security. The government describes UK ADR as a world-first national mission and says it will be the first time a spacecraft has disposed of more than one satellite in this way.
The spacecraft is scheduled to launch in 2029 from SaxaVord Spaceport in Scotland. The facility recently received £30 million in government funding to support the UK’s sovereign launch capability. The government has also opened a public competition to name the spacecraft.
The mission will use robotic mechanisms to capture satellites that were not originally designed to be serviced or retrieved in orbit. The spacecraft will need to approach each target safely, establish control and guide it towards atmospheric re-entry. Its refuellable design is intended to support potential future operations beyond the initial debris-removal task.
The government said hundreds of thousands of tracked debris objects are travelling at speeds exceeding 17,000 miles per hour, creating a risk of damage to essential space infrastructure. Defunct satellites and fragments left behind in orbit can threaten functioning spacecraft, making the removal of hazardous objects an increasingly important part of space sustainability.
The UK Space Agency has selected ClearSpace UK as its industry delivery partner. The company will lead the development of domestic expertise in spacecraft servicing and robotic capture, working with engineers, specialists and suppliers across the UK.
Space Minister Liz Lloyd said: “Space junk and debris pose an immense and growing challenge but with our homegrown expertise, the UK is determined to lead the global effort to clean up space.”
She added: “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 keep our country safe.”
Lloyd described the programme as part of the government’s Space Strategy, saying it would support British companies in developing new technologies, strengthen the country’s satellite sector and drive economic growth.
The initiative forms part of the In-orbit Servicing, Assembly and Manufacturing (ISAM) sector, which includes technologies for repairing, refuelling, maintaining and manufacturing spacecraft in orbit. The UK government expects this emerging industry to grow into a billion-dollar market within the next decade.
Dr Alice Bunn, Co-Director of the UK Space Agency, said: “This mission is about much more than removing debris. It is about developing the capabilities that will enable future servicing, assembly and manufacturing in orbit.”
She added: “The technologies being developed through ADR will help establish the UK’s position at the forefront of a new generation of space services while supporting a sustainable future for activities in space.”
The government said the UK’s space sector is worth £18.6 billion and supports more than 55,000 skilled jobs. It expects the debris-removal programme to strengthen domestic supply chains and encourage investment across the country, from Southampton to Newcastle.
ISAM is one of four priority areas identified in the government’s National Space Strategy, which links industrial growth with defence and national security objectives.
Rob Atchison, Managing Director of ClearSpace UK, said: “UK ADR will be delivered here in the UK. Our team brings together engineers and specialists from across Great Britain and Northern Ireland, as well as allies and partners, and as the programme progresses we will create more highly specialised roles in rendezvous and proximity operations, guidance, navigation and control, robotics, spacecraft systems and mission operations.”
He said the next stage would involve designing, building and testing a spacecraft capable of approaching an object that was never designed to be captured and taking control of it. The work will involve partners across the UK supply chain, with operations targeted for 2029.
ClearSpace UK is the British business of ClearSpace, an in-orbit services company developing technologies and missions for safer and more sustainable space operations.
The UK ADR programme is intended to establish national capability in the removal of defunct satellites while supporting the development of commercial services for future spacecraft servicing and orbital sustainability.
