---
title: "SBRI: Active Debris Removal Refuelling Mission feasibility study - Phase 1"
ocid: "ocds-b5fd17-a88ac4df-50ae-4590-ab44-6825f7bfbad0"
canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-b5fd17-a88ac4df-50ae-4590-ab44-6825f7bfbad0"
markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-b5fd17-a88ac4df-50ae-4590-ab44-6825f7bfbad0.md"
json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-b5fd17-a88ac4df-50ae-4590-ab44-6825f7bfbad0.json"
source: "Contracts Finder"
current_stage: "Award"
buyer: "UK SPACE AGENCY"
published: "2024-02-14"
---

# SBRI: Active Debris Removal Refuelling Mission feasibility study - Phase 1

Buyer: UK SPACE AGENCY  
Current stage: Award  
OCID: ocds-b5fd17-a88ac4df-50ae-4590-ab44-6825f7bfbad0

[View canonical contract page](https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-b5fd17-a88ac4df-50ae-4590-ab44-6825f7bfbad0)  
[Download OCDS JSON](https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-b5fd17-a88ac4df-50ae-4590-ab44-6825f7bfbad0.json)

## Summary

The UK Space Agency has awarded the contract for the SBRI Active Debris Removal Refuelling Mission feasibility study - Phase 1 to Thales Alenia Space UK Limited. The aim of the competition is to undertake feasibility studies to refuel the National Active Debris Removal Mission and a commercial client/customer satellite. The contract value is £415,716 GBP, with a contract period from 25th January 2024 to 25th September 2024.

This tender presents a significant opportunity for businesses in the spacecraft, satellites, and launch vehicles industry as well as research and development services. Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and other suitable businesses can compete for contracts worth up to £500,000 GBP for each project. The procurement method used for this opportunity is Other - SBRI. The location of the project is in the United Kingdom, and the main procurement category is services.

## Notice

This is a Small Business Research initiative (SBRI) competition funded by the UK Space Agency. The aim of the competition is to undertake feasibility studies to refuel the National Active Debris Removal Mission and a commercial client/customer satellite. The challenge to be addressed by the successful team(s) can be summarised as follows: * Elaborate the requirements for a mission which meets goal 1 of the study i.e. capable of refuelling the UK ADR satellite in Low Earth Orbit (LEO) * Elaborate the requirements for a mission which meets goal 2 of the study i.e. capable of refuelling a commercial client/additional partner * Develop a baseline design that responds to the technical requirements - providing confidence that the mission is feasible within the technical, programmatic, and financial constraints, which also defines what those constraints may be. Identify risks and propose realistic mitigations, establish plans for further development in the subsequent phases of the mission lifecycle Further details of the tasks needed to deliver this SBRI can be found within Annex B - Project Specification- Active Debris Removal- Refuelling Study Phase 1 Overview. It is important that you review Annex B as projects that are unable to meet the tasks of the SBRI may score poorly or be viewed as out of scope. A total of up to PS2 million, inclusive of VAT, is allocated to this competition/phase 1. The Phase 1 feasibility study research and development (R&D) contracts will be up to PS500,000, inclusive of VAT, for each project for up to 8 months. We expect to fund up to 4 projects.

## Key Details

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication source | Contracts Finder |
| Latest notice | https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/b59a1433-890b-414b-944b-e96b459d45d1 |
| Notice type | Award Notice |
| Procurement type | Standard |
| Procurement category | Services |
| Procurement method | Not Specified |
| Procurement method details | Other - SBRI |
| Tender suitability | SME, VCSE |
| Awardee scale | Large, SME |
| All stages | Award |

## Dates

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication date | 14 Feb 2024 |
| Submission deadline | 5 Dec 2023 |
| Future notice date | Not specified |
| Award date | 12 Jan 2024 |
| Contract period | 25 Jan 2024 - 25 Sep 2024 |
| Recurrence | Not specified |

## Values

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Tender value | £500,000 |
| Lots value | Not specified |
| Awards value | £1,827,793 |
| Contracts value | Not specified |

## Status

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Tender status | Complete |
| Lots status | Not specified |
| Awards status | Active |
| Contracts status | Not specified |

## Buyer

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Main buyer | UK SPACE AGENCY |
| Locality | SWINDON |
| Post town | Swindon |
| Postcode | SN2 1SZ |
| Country | England |
| ITL 1 | TLK South West (England) |
| ITL 2 | TLK7 Gloucestershire and Wiltshire |
| ITL 3 | TLK71 Swindon |
| Local authority | Swindon |
| Electoral ward | Rodbourne Cheney |
| Westminster constituency | Swindon North |
| Delivery location | Not specified |

## Supplier

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Number of suppliers | 4 |
| Supplier names | ASTROSCALE; CLEARSPACE TODAY; ORBIT FAB; THALES ALENIA SPACE |

## CPV Codes

### Divisions

- 34 - Transport equipment and auxiliary products to transportation
- 73 - Research and development services and related consultancy services

### Codes

- 34712000 - Spacecraft, satellites and launch vehicles
- 73000000 - Research and development services and related consultancy services

## Release History

- 14 Feb 2024 at 14:50 - Award - Award Notice - https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/b59a1433-890b-414b-944b-e96b459d45d1

## Documents

- https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/b59a1433-890b-414b-944b-e96b459d45d1
  14th February 2024 - Awarded contract notice on Contracts Finder
- https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/Attachment/765e17d4-1e9c-4170-be43-a62863bfdea4
- https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/Attachment/f0760073-3f2a-4d66-9288-dcc67ad4379c
- https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/Attachment/0e7aa557-a955-443e-a8fc-bb24e40cf183
- https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/Attachment/27ec04eb-975a-482d-8121-1bbf55c0ef8b
- https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/Attachment/eacdc49f-14b8-41cc-8fdc-62979ba41d99
- https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/Attachment/8b7fb9c7-e218-4ce0-a9eb-78697fcd18d4
- https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/Attachment/817d9e98-104a-4272-8fff-27990a91d76f
- https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/sbri-active-debris-refuelling-mission-feasibility-study-phase-1

## Provenance

This Markdown file is an alternate public rendering of the D3 Tenders contract record. The canonical page is https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-b5fd17-a88ac4df-50ae-4590-ab44-6825f7bfbad0. The underlying structured data is available as OCDS JSON at https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-b5fd17-a88ac4df-50ae-4590-ab44-6825f7bfbad0.json.