Good news for those in the UK with primary school-aged kids and wondering what to do when the next bout of home-schooling hits: design a logo for the first UK satellite launches.

2022 could be a big year for launching satellites from Blighty's shores as the first launchers gear up for a historic blast-off. Assuming the facilities have been built and all the necessary consents given and boxes ticked.

There are currently seven possible spaceport sites across the UK, from Cornwall in England through Llanbedr in Wales and up to the Western Isles in Scotland. Cash has been lobbed Cornwall's way to support a horizontal launch by Virgin Orbit from Spaceport Cornwall and more toward Scotland for Orbex's ambitions to launch vertically from [1]Sutherland .

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Should all the approvals happen and construction be completed, there is every chance the UK might host its first launch at some point in 2022.

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Hence the need for a logo and thus a competition aimed at inspiring kids to consider a career in the space industry. And, of course, it is all worthy stuff: "Logo designs," intoned the UK Space Agency, "should reflect how data from small satellites can help inform solutions to climate change as well as generate a source of pride in the UK's space ambitions."

What, we wondered, could possibly go wrong?

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We put this question to Rob Manuel, one of those behind web stalwart [6]b3ta.com . B3ta has a long history of (among other things) image challenges, the results of which tend to pop up, often unattributed, in timelines around the world. Now heading into its third decade, the site continues to push out a weekly Friday newsletter to email subscribers.

[7]UK spaceport, phase two: Now where do we PUT the bleeding thing?

[8]James Webb Space Telescope gets all shook up – launch delayed again

[9]Another 100 space tourists buy a ride from Virgin Galactic: $25k of that ticket deposit is 'non-refundable'

[10]31-year-old piece of hardware not working very well: Hubble telescope back in safe mode over 'synchronization issues'

In terms of how to engage participants, Manuel said: "If anyone asks me, and they rarely do, I encourage competitions to be as open as possible – publish the results as they're coming in. Try and create a buzz that something is happening rather than everything going in the bin."

"As for things going wrong," he went on, "well, there's always an element who'll want to subvert it."

The competition is open to children aged 4-11 and will run until 11 March 2022. There are two age categories (4-7 and 7-11) over 12 regions in the UK. Designs can be drawn, painted, or created on a computer and either submitted on the [11]logoliftoff.org.uk site or via post. Some basic questions also need to be answered, and children can work on their own or in a team of up to four.

We asked the UK Space Agency if it would take Manuel's advice and post entries ahead of the competition close. We will update should it respond. ®

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[1] https://www.theregister.com/2021/08/23/sutherland_spaceport/

[2] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_offbeat/science&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=2&c=2YaUHPwKsY0jdLxS5oTX--wAAAMs&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D2%26raptor%3Dcondor%26pos%3Dtop%26test%3D0

[3] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_offbeat/science&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=4&c=44YaUHPwKsY0jdLxS5oTX--wAAAMs&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D4%26raptor%3Dfalcon%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0

[4] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_offbeat/science&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=3&c=33YaUHPwKsY0jdLxS5oTX--wAAAMs&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D3%26raptor%3Deagle%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0

[5] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_offbeat/science&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=4&c=44YaUHPwKsY0jdLxS5oTX--wAAAMs&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D4%26raptor%3Dfalcon%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0

[6] https://b3ta.com/

[7] https://www.theregister.com/2015/03/05/uk_spaceport_phase_two_now_where_do_we_put_the_bleeding_thing/

[8] https://www.theregister.com/2021/11/23/james_webb_space_telescope_delayed_again/

[9] https://www.theregister.com/2021/11/09/virgin_galactic_q3/

[10] https://www.theregister.com/2021/10/26/hubble_safe_mode_again/

[11] https://www.logoliftoff.org.uk/

[12] https://whitepapers.theregister.com/