The UK Space Agency is funding research into refuelling an upcoming mission to promote space sustainability.
The mission’s main target will be to remove space junk, which will encourage space sustainability by helping prolong the life of satellites and prevent adding more debris to the space environment.
A total of £2 million is available for feasibility studies that can demonstrate the ability to refuel a UK national debris removal mission and look at opportunities for refuelling a commercial satellite as well.
Space debris is becoming a bigger problem
Daily life relies on space services – from navigation and weather forecasting to financial services and TV. It is, therefore, essential that we preserve space sustainability for future generations as we do here on Earth.
Millions of defunct space objects are currently orbiting the planet – almost 37,000 measuring larger than 10cm and an estimated 130 million measuring less than 1cm.
These can be anything from old satellites to astronaut tools and even flecks of paint. The speed at which they travel means they are a constant threat to ‘live’ satellites.
George Freeman MP, Minister of State at the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology, said: “Millions of pieces of space debris and 3,000 redundant satellites pose an increasing threat to the satellite economy we now rely on daily – from telecomms to navigation, air traffic control, and climate science. So it is vital that we act.”
New initiatives to promote space sustainability
As part of a package of initiatives to help ensure long-term space sustainability, the UK Space Agency is leading work to develop UK capabilities in this area and demonstrate leadership in more operations to promote space sustainability.
One initiative is a UK national debris removal mission, planned for launch in 2026 and designed to be refuellable.
As satellite launch costs continue to fall and new technologies – such as highly manoeuvrable satellites that can dock with others and perform tasks like refuelling – come online, the UK Space Agency is inviting bids from UK organisations to develop feasibility studies to support the mission and the development of future capabilities.
“This new £2 million UK Space Agency programme will help to develop ways to refuel inactive satellites in space,” Freeman explained.
“UK businesses like Astroscale and ClearSpace developing in-flight refuelling, maintenance, and other satellite servicing are key to reducing space debris, boosting space sustainability, and ensuring a vibrant space service economy.”
Ray Fielding, Head of Sustainability at the UK Space Agency, added: “This is an exciting opportunity for the UK space sector.
“In-orbit servicing is expected to be a key tool in ensuring the long-term sustainability of the outer space environment, so these refuelling studies will support our desire to make satellite operation much more sustainable and demonstrate UK leadership in tackling the increasing risks caused by space debris.”
Further details on the refuelling study call can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/sbri-active-debris-refuelling-mission-feasibility-study-phase-1
