The UK wants a name for its space junk collector, and you get two words

The UK Space Agency is inviting UK residents to name its Active Debris Removal Mission. Its announcement says a ClearSpace UK spacecraft will grab two defunct satellites and guide them toward the atmosphere to burn up.

The winning name could be etched onto the spacecraft. Suddenly naming the thing feels like a bigger responsibility than renaming your robot vacuum.

The official rules allow a maximum of two words, including an acronym, plus up to 150 words explaining the idea. They ask for something easy to pronounce, politically neutral and free of trademark problems. Entries close at 5 pm UK time on December 10.

There is one entry per person. Children can take part, but a parent, carer or teacher must submit for anyone under eighteen. The agency also reserves the right to reject a winning suggestion if it fails legal checks or creates a programme risk. Winning the imagination contest is only part of getting a name onto a spacecraft.

I’d spend most of my time trying to find a name that still sounds good after somebody says it in a serious launch broadcast. The clean-up is ambitious enough. The name has to survive the internet first.