The UK Space Agency has announced its first formal exploration mission designed to survey 'near-earth' asteroids for critical minerals like cobalt, lithium, and platinum, essential for the green energy transition.

The mission, dubbed 'Prospector-1,' will launch from the SaxaVord Spaceport in Shetland in 2026. It will deploy three robotic probes to land on the asteroid 2011 UW158 and return mineral samples to Earth.

"Sovereignty over critical minerals starts in orbit," said the director of the UK Space Agency. "Britain has the expertise to lead the world in the commercial exploration of the final frontier."

The project is a partnership with several private UK aerospace firms, highlighting the growing importance of the 'New Space' economy to the British industrial strategy.