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Mission Feasibility Studies - Spacecraft Life Extension Service Demonstration

Department for Science, Innovation & Technology

This public procurement record has 1 release in its history.

Planning

19 Oct 2026 at 17:07

UK3 - Planned Procurement Notice
Summary of the contracting process

The Department for Science, Innovation & Technology, through the UK Space Agency, plans to commission research and development feasibility studies for a possible UK in-orbit spacecraft life-extension mission. The studies will examine how a spacecraft could rendezvous with, operate close to and dock with a cooperative client spacecraft, demonstrating a life-extension service. They are intended to develop evidence on technical approaches, delivery, risks, indicative costs and commercial considerations, to inform decisions on a future mission and its business case. This is applied research for a specific mission objective, not work to industrialise a commercial service. Delivery is in the United Kingdom. The planned procurement is one of two related research competitions; the other concerns in-orbit manufacturing.

This is at the planning stage: the UK Space Agency has signalled an intention to run a competition, but has not yet issued an invitation to tender. It expects to use an open competition delivered through Innovate UK Contracts for Innovation. The competition is intended to launch on or around 23 October 2026, with suppliers expected to have about four weeks to submit proposals; the recorded anticipated submission deadline is 20 November 2026. An award decision is expected by 21 December 2026. Projects are anticipated to run from 4 January to 5 July 2027, for up to six months. Indicative total funding is £2.1 million excluding VAT, with submissions capped at £700,000 excluding VAT per contract and at least three contracts anticipated. Final scope, eligibility and evaluation arrangements remain for the competition launch.

The work is likely to suit organisations able to develop and assess spacecraft servicing concepts, especially rendezvous, proximity operations and docking, and to turn technical analysis into credible evidence on mission delivery, risk, cost and commercial feasibility. UK Space Agency is seeking research that informs an investment decision and a Green Book-compliant business case, rather than a market-ready service or industrialisation programme. It has identified the need to strengthen technical, commercial, cost and delivery evidence before considering a full demonstration mission. Each project is expected to have a single lead organisation, which may collaborate with or subcontract to others. The buyer may limit organisations to leading one project, so suppliers should consider suitable partners and how to present a distinct study approach. Prior market engagement found interest in a range of approaches.

How relevant is this notice?

Notice Information

Notice Title

Mission Feasibility Studies - Spacecraft Life Extension Service Demonstration

Notice Description

**This planned procurement follows earlier market engagement undertaken by UK Space Agency (UKSA) through the Request for Information (RFI) published under Find a Tender Notice 2026/S 000-035409. Overall responses to the RFI demonstrated market interest and a range of potential approaches, while also identifying areas where further technical, commercial, cost and delivery evidence is required before UKSA could consider progressing to a full demonstration mission. UKSA has therefore decided to adopt a staged approach, commissioning multiple R&D projects across RPOD and IOM to explore differing approaches, reduce uncertainty and strengthen the evidence base for future investment decisions. This is one of two concurrent procurements being progressed following consideration of the outputs from that RFI exercise, the other being for In-Orbit Manufacturing (IOM) Maturation R&D Projects. Please see respective notices on Find a Tender.** Procurement description: The UK Space Agency (UKSA) intends, subject to final approvals, to launch a competitive procurement examining the feasibility of delivering a UK In-Orbit Servicing mission to demonstrate a Rendezvous, Proximity Operations and Docking (RPOD)-enabled Life Extension service with a cooperative client spacecraft by 2030. The work is intended to mature the technical, delivery considerations, risks, indicative cost and commercial evidential base required to inform the UKSA's ISAM In-Orbit Demonstration Programme, and the development of a Green Book-compliant business case. The requirement concerns applied research directed at developing technical knowledge for the particular objective of informing decisions on a possible UK Life Extension mission, rather than commercial industrialisation. The competition is intended to support feasibility and research and development activity only. Appointment under this competition does not commit UKSA to proceed with, fund or procure a subsequent spacecraft life extension demonstration mission. Any future phases or follow-on activity would be subject to separate consideration, funding approval and, where appropriate, further competition. It is UKSA's intention, subject to final approvals, to launch the competition on or around 23 October 2026. Suppliers are expected to have approximately four weeks from the date the competition is formally launched to submit proposals. Projects are currently anticipated to commence in January 2027 and have a duration of up to 6 months. This planned procurement notice is intended to provide early visibility of the opportunity and UKSA reserves the right to vary the scope, timetable, funding and other terms described in this notice prior to the formal launch of the competition. Estimated Contract Value and Funding Position: The procurement will seek to appoint multiple suppliers to undertake separate feasibility studies for an RPOD-enabled spacecraft life extension demonstration mission. The estimated total funding available across the studies is PS2,100,000 excluding VAT. UKSA currently anticipates awarding a minimum of three contracts, with individual contract values determined through competition and any submission capped at PS700,000 excluding VAT per contract. The number of contracts awarded and individual contract values will be managed to remain within these budget constraints. These figures are indicative only at this stage and remain subject to: * Internal due diligence; * Confirmation of final scope; * Availability of programme funding; * Required UK Government approvals. This funding is provided solely by the UKSA and applicants should note this competition is wholly run and administered by the UKSA. This notice relates to the intended procurement of contracts which are exempted contracts under section 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 section 3 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. UKSA intends to use Innovate UK Contracts for Innovation to deliver the funding competition. Indicative competition details: * Total funding available: PS2,100,000 exclusive of VAT * Maximum value per tender submission: PS700,000 exclusive of VAT * Anticipated minimum number of contracts: 3 * Delivery model: preference is for each project to be led by a single lead organisation. The lead organisation may subcontract or collaborate elements of the work with other organisations. * The Authority may apply a limitation on an organisation to lead only one project. Further information, including the final scope, eligibility requirements, evaluation methodology, submission deadline and contractual terms, will be provided when the competition is formally launched.

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-078b35
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/098681-2026
Current Stage
Planning
All Stages
Planning

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
UK3 - Planned Procurement Notice
Procurement Type
Standard
Procurement Category
Services
Procurement Method
Open
Procurement Method Details
Open procedure
Tender Suitability
Not specified
Awardee Scale
Not specified

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

32 - Radio, television, communication, telecommunication and related equipment

34 - Transport equipment and auxiliary products to transportation

35 - Security, fire-fighting, police and defence equipment

73 - Research and development services and related consultancy services

CPV Codes

32534000 - Satellite platforms

34712000 - Spacecraft, satellites and launch vehicles

34712100 - Spacecraft

34712200 - Satellites

35631100 - Communication satellites

35631200 - Observation satellites

35631300 - Navigation satellites

73100000 - Research and experimental development services

73300000 - Design and execution of research and development

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
£2,100,000 £1M-£10M
Lots Value
£2,100,000 £1M-£10M
Awards Value
Not specified
Contracts Value
Not specified

Notice Dates

Publication Date
19 Oct 20261 weeks ago
Submission Deadline
Not specified
Future Notice Date
23 Oct 2026Expired
Award Date
Not specified
Contract Period
4 Jan 2027 - 5 Jul 2027 6-12 months
Recurrence
Not specified

Notice Status

Tender Status
Planned
Lots Status
Planned
Awards Status
Not Specified
Contracts Status
Not Specified

Buyer & Supplier

Contracting Authority (Buyer)

Main Buyer
Department for Science, Innovation & Technology
Contact Name
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Email
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Phone
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →

Buyer Location

Locality
LONDON
Postcode
SW1A 2EG
Postcode Area
South West London
Country
England
Major Region (ITL 1)
TLI London
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLI3 Inner London - West
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLI35 Westminster and City of London
Delivery Location
Not specified
Local Authority
Westminster
Electoral Ward
St James's
Westminster Constituency
Cities of London and Westminster

Further Information

Notice Documents

Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS)

View full OCDS Record for this contracting process

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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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