The Scouts, in partnership with the UK Space Agency—responsible for the country’s civil space programme—have launched a brand-new Space Activity Badge.

The badge, which is the first of its kind for the 14- to 18-year-old scout section, was announced by Scout Ambassador and UK astronaut, Tim Peake.

The badge is born out of the Agency’s “Space to Inspire” initiative, which encourages young people to explore how space is used, the work of the UK space sector, and the wide range of space careers available in the UK.

The agency said that from today, Explorer Scouts will be able to replicate the skills used by scientists and engineers to guide the Perseverance Rover across Mars’ surface, and can learn how to control something remotely.

They’ll also discover ways to grow plants without soil—a task undertaken on the International Space Station to test different watering methods, among other skills.

Peake, who became the first British European Space Agency astronaut to walk in space in 2016, said: “The exciting launch of the new Explorer Scout Space Activity Badge will ignite interest and spark curiosity in STEM for a whole new generation.

“This new badge brings together the knowledge of what’s been and the possibility of what could be, both in space and here on Earth for young people aged between 14 and 18.

“After working alongside some of the most talented space industry professionals in the world, it’s wonderful to see Explorers reaching up and developing the skills that helped me on my own space journey.”

Sir Chris Bryant, minister for space, said: “This fantastic new badge will inspire the next generation of Explorers to consider exciting opportunities that can push the boundaries of our knowledge of space.

“There are already over 50,000 people working in the UK’s space sector, and we want to continue to foster the interest and curiosity of the youngest so they can build their skills and even their careers in space exploration and research for years to come.”

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The launch of the new Scouts badge comes just days after the UK’s space sector was lauded by Peter Kyle, the UK’s science secretary, as a “launchpad for innovation and investment.” This was amid the publishing of new figures which showed record contract wins.

Specifically, in the last quarter of 2024, the UK space sector secured additional contracts worth £80 million more than the government’s contributions to the European Space Agency. This resulted in the highest single quarter return ever recorded by an ESA member state. It also increased the total value of contracts secured for the UK sector through the ESA to £844 million, since June 2022.