The UK government announced on 15 October 2026 a national Active Debris Removal mission, described as a world-first, to remove two defunct satellites from orbit and release them lower into the atmosphere where they would burn up. The Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade and the UK Space Agency said the spacecraft would be backed with more than £60m, with removal targeted by 2032 and a launch planned for 2029 from Saxavord Spaceport in Scotland. The announcement said it would mark the first time a spacecraft has disposed of more than one satellite this way.

The government said hundreds of thousands of tracked debris objects travel at speeds exceeding 17,000 miles an hour and are large enough to damage space infrastructure. It said the refuellable spacecraft would be designed for future use, and that a public competition would begin to name it. The UK Space Agency is working with ClearSpace UK as industry delivery partner.

The announcement placed the mission within the in-orbit servicing, assembly and manufacturing sector, which it said is predicted to grow into a billion-dollar industry within the next decade. It cited the UK space sector as worth £18.6 billion and supporting over 55,000 skilled jobs. Space Minister Liz Lloyd said the UK was determined to lead the global effort to clean up space.