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

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 £2 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 £500,000, inclusive of VAT, for each project for up to 8 months. We expect to fund up to 4 projects.