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Active Debris Removal (ADR) Phase 3 Research and Development service

UK Space Agency

This public procurement record has 4 releases in its history.

AwardUpdate

21 Aug 2026 at 12:43

UK6 - Contract Award Notice
Award

20 Aug 2026 at 15:24

UK6 - Contract Award Notice
Tender

03 Jul 2025 at 09:49

UK4 - Tender Notice
Planning

07 Apr 2025 at 17:29

UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
Summary of the contracting process

The UK Space Agency procured an active debris removal research and development service for a UK national space sustainability mission. The requirement covers designing and building a servicing satellite capable of safely capturing and removing two UK-licensed defunct satellites from congested low Earth orbit, launching it, operating it in orbit and leaving it stable and refuellable after the mission. This combines spacecraft, satellite and launch-vehicle provision with experimental research, development and mission execution. The work is delivered in the United Kingdom, with the operational activity focused on the client satellites in low Earth orbit. The UK Space Agency is the central government buyer and selected one supplier for the complete mission.

The procurement is complete and has been awarded to ClearSpace Today Ltd; the award remains pending the standstill process. It used an open competitive flexible procedure for an exempt research and development contract. There was one lot, suitable for small and medium-sized enterprises, and three valid final bids were received. The estimated lot value was £63,000,000 excluding VAT, or £75,600,000 including VAT. The award value to ClearSpace Today Ltd is £61,341,564 excluding VAT, or £73,609,876.80 including VAT. The award date was 19 August 2026. The awarded contract period is 28 September 2026 to 27 September 2031. The standstill ends on 1 September 2026, with signature scheduled for 7 September 2026. Cost was recorded as the award criterion, although the published lot criterion is marked N/A and refers bidders to the procurement documentation.

This procurement demonstrates demand for end-to-end active debris removal capability from the UK Space Agency, at mission scale rather than for a standalone consultancy or component supply. A credible future competitor would need to combine spacecraft systems engineering, autonomous rendezvous and capture of unprepared, non-cooperative satellites, launch integration and safe in-orbit operations. It would also need to show research and development capability, mission assurance and the ability to keep a servicing vehicle stable and refuellable after debris removal. The requirement was suitable for SMEs, and all three final bidders were SMEs, indicating that smaller specialist space businesses can participate, potentially through a lead contractor and consortium model. Experience across orbital servicing, debris remediation and satellite mission delivery would be particularly relevant.

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Notice Information

Notice Title

Active Debris Removal (ADR) Phase 3 Research and Development service

Notice Description

This procurement is for a Contract, which is an exempted contract under s 3(6) and Schedule 2, Part 2 (Subject-matter exempted contracts), paragraph 22 (Research and Development Services) of the Procurement Act 2023 (the 'Act'). Exempted contracts are not public contracts as defined in s3 of the Act and therefore are not required to be procured in accordance with the provisions of the Act that relate to a covered procurement. For this procurement the Authority has operated a transparent competition process, to which any potential supplier was able to respond. In doing so the procurement process has reflected processes and requirements set out in the Act in relation to covered procurements, or elements thereof. This commitment to transparency includes the publication of this notice, for information, on Find a Tender. The UK Active Debris Removal Phase 3 Research and Development Service (ADR Mission) is a UK national project that aims to support the In-Orbit Servicing and Manufacturing ("ISAM") and Sustainability priorities set out in the UK Space Agency's Corporate Plan as well as the National Space Strategy (NSS) ambitions to lead the global effort to make space more sustainable. The ADR Mission requires the safe capture and subsequent removal of two UK-licensed defunct satellites in the congested LEO region (Client Satellites) by the Servicer Satellite. Through this Procurement, the Authority has selected one Supplier to deliver the UK ADR Mission.

Planning Information

Description: The UK Space Agency (UKSA) would like to invite interested suppliers to the Industry Engagement Event (the 'Event') in relation to the planned procurement for Active Debris Removal Phase 3 Research and Development Service, (the 'UK ADR Project'). The aim of the Event is to engage with space sector organisations to: A) Understand the market's current capacity and capability to deliver this requirement, and their interest in the procurement. B) Outline the UK Space Agency's draft technical and mission requirements, contractual provisions and outline procurement strategy; and C) Give potential suppliers the opportunity to confirm their appetite and provide feedback on the intended approach. Background of the requirements The UK ADR Project is a national mission that aims to achieve the Space Sustainability priority set out in the UK Space Agency Corporate Plan 2022-25 - GOV.UK, supporting the National Space Strategy objective for the UK to lead the global effort to make space more sustainable. The mission requires the safe capture and subsequent removal of at least two UK-licensed defunct satellites in the congested LEO zone. These debris, also known as the Target Satellites, must be unprepared for capture; that is, not fitted with technologies intended to aid In-Orbit Servicing and Manufacturing (ISAM), such as docking plates and fiducial markers. The Target Satellites must also be completely uncooperative. The UK ADR Project will enable the UK to seize key opportunities in the global ADR and ISAM markets and establish itself as a global leader in space debris remediation. Scope of the procurement: • Development and construction of a vehicle capable of removing two agreed pieces of debris (defunct UK-registered satellites) from orbit, then remaining in orbit with the capability to be refuelled. • Launch of the vehicle. • Operation of the vehicle in orbit to remove two agreed space debris from orbit within an agreed time frame. • Vehicle to be in a stable orbit and in a refuellable state at completion of mission. Constraints and dependencies: The budget for delivery of the UK ADR Project has not yet been confirmed. We are conducting this engagement with the market to explore interest and what is possible. The procurement is also conditional on successfully obtaining all necessary internal and external approvals. Date, time and location: The Event will take place on Thursday the 24th of April 2025 at 10.00am in Harwell in Oxfordshire (details TBC). If you are unable to attend in person there will be an opportunity to join the Event remotely. A Teams invite will be shared with you following registration. Event registration- Please ensure you pre-register by sending an email to commercial@ukspaceagency.gov.uk confirming if you are attending in person or remotely. Please include this reference to the Event in the subject line of your email: UKSAC24_0095 Active Debris Removal Phase 3 R&D Service Engagement Day. In order to ensure sufficient capacity, the number of attendees in person is limited to three participants per organisation. Should the room capacity become an issue, in person attendance will be allocated on the "first come first served basis" with those missing on securing the place being able to join the Event remotely. Please note that the Event is intended for potential suppliers that would enter into the contact with UKSA i.e. prime contractors or organisations that would form a lead member of any proposed consortium. Please ensure that you secure your place at the Event by registering for it before 17:00 BST on Thursday 17th of April 2025. Following registration, we will share with you further details of the venue and the agenda. On the day: There will be opportunity to ask questions regarding all aspects of the requirements. We intend to cover the following: - Mission requirements - Contractual provisions - including proposed KPIs, Liabilities, Insurance levels, Intellectual Property Rights - Timeframes of the competition - Procurement strategy - Social value - Pricing structure Questions and answers will be captured and shared with the potential suppliers after the Event. We will welcome any feedback you would like to share via email after the Event. The timescale for provision of feedback will be end of play 30th April 2025. Dependent on numbers expressing interest, our aim is to provide interested Suppliers with the opportunity to meet with us '1-to-1' in private, to help facilitate open and frank conversations. This could be in -person, if you are attending the event or remotely. If you are interested in such a meeting, please ensure this is clearly stated in your email response. If too many Suppliers express interest to accommodate on the day, places will be allocated on a first-come-first-served basis and/or we may at our sole discretion offer alternative dates to meet. Reasonable steps will be taken to provide the same amount of time to each Supplier. Additional: Please note the following general conditions: • This engagement notice is not a call for competition and as such potential suppliers will need to express interest in the future competition once an invitation to participate in it is published. • Any and all costs associated with preparation for and/or attendance at the Event and/or the production of a response in any form must be borne by potential suppliers. The UK Space Agency will not be liable for or contribute in any way to meeting potential supplier costs in relation to the Event. • No information provided by a potential supplier in conjunction with the Event will be carried forward, used or acknowledged in any way for the purpose of evaluating the potential supplier, in any subsequent procurement process. • Neither the issue of this notice, or the Event, or any information provide by UKSA at, or in conjunction with the Event, shall commit UKSA to conduct a procurement for this or any related contract and/or to award an such contract following a procurement process.

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-04fe65
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/079898-2026
Current Stage
Award
All Stages
Planning, Tender, Award

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
UK6 - Contract Award Notice
Procurement Type
Standard
Procurement Category
Services
Procurement Method
Open
Procurement Method Details
Competitive flexible procedure
Tender Suitability
SME
Awardee Scale
SME

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

34 - Transport equipment and auxiliary products to transportation

73 - Research and development services and related consultancy services

CPV Codes

34712000 - Spacecraft, satellites and launch vehicles

73100000 - Research and experimental development services

73300000 - Design and execution of research and development

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
£63,000,000 £10M-£100M
Lots Value
£63,000,000 £10M-£100M
Awards Value
£61,341,564 £10M-£100M
Contracts Value
Not specified

Notice Dates

Publication Date
21 Aug 20265 days ago
Submission Deadline
16 Jul 2025Expired
Future Notice Date
30 Apr 2025Expired
Award Date
19 Aug 20261 weeks ago
Contract Period
28 Sep 2026 - 27 Sep 2031 Over 5 years
Recurrence
Not specified

Notice Status

Tender Status
Complete
Lots Status
Complete
Awards Status
Pending
Contracts Status
Not Specified

Buyer & Supplier

Contracting Authority (Buyer)

Main Buyer
UK Space Agency
Contact Name
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Email
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Phone
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →

Buyer Location

Locality
DIDCOT
Postcode
OX11 0DF
Postcode Area
Oxford
Country
England
Major Region (ITL 1)
TLJ South East (England)
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLJ1 Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLJ14 Oxfordshire CC
Delivery Location
Not specified
Local Authority
Vale of White Horse
Electoral Ward
Hendreds
Westminster Constituency
Didcot and Wantage

Supplier Information

Number of Suppliers
1
Supplier Name

CLEARSPACE TODAY LTD

Further Information

Notice Documents

Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS)

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The Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS) is a framework designed to increase transparency and access to public procurement data in the public sector. It is widely used by governments and organisations worldwide to report on procurement processes and contracts.

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