Credit: ClearSpace
Science and discovery centres across the country are engaging thousands of young people, families, schools and community groups with the UK Space Agency’s Active Debris Removal (ADR) mission to tackle the growing threat of space debris.
The ASDC team have created education packs with a range of hands-on experiments, resources and a quiz for people of all ages to take part and learn about what this mission is going to achieve. There is also a competition to name the pioneering mission that will be launched in 2029!
Knowing we need to take a more proactive approach to removing space debris, the UK Space Agency have announced their Active Debris Removal (ADR) mission. As the name suggests, this mission will actively remove some of the debris that’s clogging up space. Just like we clean litter from the streets and oceans, this mission will help remove litter from space to make it safer for everyone.
A specially designed spacecraft built by ClearSpace UK will use a robotic claw – similar to those used in an arcade claw grabber game - to grab two old satellites that no longer work. Equipped with advanced British robotics and autonomous navigation technology, it will gently guide them out of low Earth orbit, back towards Earth, where they will safely burn up in the atmosphere.
Launching in 2029 from Saxavord Spaceport in Scotland, the ADR mission is a world first – a spacecraft has never disposed of more than one satellite in this way before.
Benefits for future generations
The ClearSpace UK spacecraft is refuellable and designed so it can keep sweeping space for years to come. But the benefits of this mission go beyond one spacecraft – the technology developed, and the things we’ll learn from it, will help us in the future too. Through this mission and beyond the UK is leading the way in space sustainability, taking action to protect and preserve the space environment for future generations.
Find out more about the ADR mission and the education pack, and how to enter the mission naming competition over on the ASDC Destination Space website. Please share with your space-loving friends, family, colleagues and neighbours!
