Today the Science Museum and Magdrive, a UK space company, announced a competition for children to design the mission patch for Magdrive’s first in-orbit test mission of its prototype thruster.
The winning patch design will be used for this Going Rogue mission and displayed alongside the prototype thruster in the new Space gallery at the Science Museum, opening this autumn. The mission patch will be added to the Science Museum Group Collection, joining an extensive space technology collection which includes Tim Peake’s spacecraft, several rocket engines, historic spacesuits and mission patches from significant NASA missions. The winner and their family will also get to tour Magdrive’s laboratory to see where the prototype thruster is built and will be invited to visit the Science Museum to see their patch on display.
Magdrive’s Rogue thruster is a new electric propulsion system which uses a metal propellent and high energy plasma to manoeuvre satellites in orbit. The Going Rogue mission will test the thruster’s capabilities in space by manoeuvring an ION satellite, with the mission lasting six months following its launch this summer. With thousands of satellites in orbit better satellite manoeuvrability is needed to avoid collisions and maintain the satellite-enabled services that many people now depend upon.
The competition to design the mission patch is open to children from today until 6 May 2025. Visitors to the Science Museum will be able to take part during the Easter holidays, with the entry form available to pick up in the museum. Visitors can attend a free drop-in session on Tuesday 15 April from 11.00-15.00 led by a Science Museum Explainer where they can join fellow visitors in creating their space patch idea. Further information can be found via sciencemuseum.org.uk/space-competition. The patch designs will be judged on their connection to the mission, illustration of space exploration and creativity. The judging panel includes a Magdrive representative and three individuals from the Science Museum: Jon Long, Senior Explainer, Abbie MacKinnon, Curator of Space Technology, and Libby Jackson, Head of Space.
L-R: Artist impression of the Going Rogue mission, with the ION satellite and Rogue thruster (left) © DOrbit; Set of 12 mission patches from the Apollo missions to the Moon © Science Museum Group.
Libby Jackson, Head of Space at the Science Museum said: ‘The winning patch design will join a long history of mission patches that stretches back to the first space missions. I hope this competition encourages young people to consider this fascinating history, look up at the night sky and visit the museum for inspiration. I cannot wait to look at the brilliant and creative ideas that are submitted and see how the winning design is used for this important mission.’
Dr Thomas Clayson, CTO and co-Founder at Magdrive said: ‘The Science Museum inspired me to work in science and engineering, and it’s an honour to inspire the next generation. The space industry is growing rapidly, and today’s young visitors will solve future problems and expand into the cosmos. I’m excited to see their creativity and proud to showcase the mission patch to the international space community.’
As most early astronauts were previously military pilots, the military tradition of wearing specially designed patches also became a custom of space missions, and that has continued to this day. Several space mission patches – including for the Apollo missions to the Moon – can be seen in the Science Museum. The winning mission patch will join these historic designs and be displayed in the Science Museum’s new Space gallery when it opens in autumn 2025.
