UK puts out tender for space robot to de-orbit satellites • The Register
Britain’s space agency is looking for a supplier to build a robotic spacecraft to capture and de-orbit two defunct UK-licensed satellites from low Earth orbit.
The proposed Active Debris Removal (ADR) mission proposes to send up a specially designed spacecraft equipped with “cutting-edge British robotic and autonomous navigation technology” to capture and bring down the two non-functioning satellites from low Earth orbit (LEO).
This being the UK, the Space Agency has a budget of £75.6 million ($103 million) to make this happen, which doesn’t seem like a huge amount to us – although it does bear comparison with the $81.4 million (c ¥11.8 billion) its Japanese counterpart awarded to orbital services firm Astroscale to remove the upper stage of a rocket from orbit.
According to the British agency, its spacecraft will guide the dead satellites into Earth’s atmosphere, where they will burn up. This eliminates potential threats to the satellite networks that power essential services such as GPS, weather forecasting, and communications – while also making it a one-way mission for the spacecraft, we presume.
The UK is now seeking a single supplier to carry out the five-year research and development contract, meaning the actual mission is currently targeted for launch by the end of 2028. This builds on £11 million ($15 million) worth of feasibility studies and design work already undertaken since 2021.
The tender process is expected to give a little boost to the UK’s quietly successful satellite industry, said to be valued at £18.9 billion ($26 billion) and employing 52,000 people.
The move represents a shift in the UK Space Agency’s approach, from traditional grants to competitive contracts, designed to stimulate private investment and create high-skilled jobs across the country, it claimed.
“This mission showcases… our commitment to protecting the space systems that modern life depends on. It’s about securing the future of space for everyone, delivering tangible benefits here on Earth, and positioning the UK at the forefront of the in-orbit services market,” UK Space Agency chief Dr Paul Bate said in a statement.
The problem of orbital debris is a growing concern for the space industry. Britain’s space boffins believe there are more than 140 million pieces of debris smaller than 1cm, and in excess of 54,000 tracked objects larger than 10cm currently up there.
America’s Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), which also takes the issue seriously, previously said the number of orbital objects greater than 10cm was estimated to be over 23,000, with half a million objects between 1 and 10cm, and upwards of 100 million objects larger than 1mm.
The Register was tempted to ask if the tender is likely to be awarded to Wallace & Gromit Enterprises, based in the North of England, which is understood to have some previous experience with space launches.
However, what we actually asked was whether this will be a one-off mission or a pilot to kick-start UK expertise in space debris removal. We also asked how the spacecraft will capture the satellites, and how it is to be launched into space. We’ll let you know the answers when the UK Space Agency press office emerges from hyperspace.
Other ideas aimed at tackling orbital debris include a NASA contract with Starfish Space for its Otter spacecraft to inspect disused US-owned satellites and potentially manoeuvre or de-orbit them.
There is also a drag chute designed by a team of students that could be deployed to let a satellite de-orbit itself at the end of its life, while the Japanese had a plan for a satellite-mounted laser to decelerate objects such as other satellites so they gradually descend towards the atmosphere and burn up. ®
