UK Space Agency awards £61 million contract to ClearSpace

The UK Space Agency (UKSA) has selected ClearSpace as the prime contractor for the UK Active Debris Removal (UK ADR) mission. The contract, valued at approximately £61 million ($80 million), tasks the company with designing and operating a robotic spacecraft to capture and deorbit two defunct, UK-registered satellites from low Earth orbit.

Scheduled for launch in 2029, the mission aims to demonstrate advanced autonomous rendezvous, proximity operations, and robotic capture technologies. The spacecraft will use robotic manipulators to grapple non-cooperative objects that lack standardized docking fixtures, eventually releasing them into lower orbits to burn up in the atmosphere.

Beyond debris removal, the mission is intended to advance the burgeoning in-orbit servicing, assembly, and manufacturing (ISAM) market. Space Minister Liz Lloyd stated that the initiative supports the UK's space strategy to foster innovation, strengthen the satellite sector, and drive economic growth while protecting critical space infrastructure.