We are delighted to announce the winners of the UK Space Agency’s 2025 Christmas Card Design Competition. This year, we were overwhelmed by the creativity and passion shown by people across the country, all inspired by the theme of space sustainability.
Our judging panel, made up of colleagues across the UK Space Agency’s Space Sustainability and Communications teams, had the challenging task of selecting the winning designs from an impressive array of entries. We appreciate everyone who took part and helped spread the message of keeping space tidy and safe for future generations.
Winners by Age Category
Ages 0–6:
Winner: Keir Lennon
Ages 7–12:
Winner: Leo Pickard
Ages 13–17:
Winner: Chelise Hayes
Ages 18+:
Winner: Pip Holmes
Overall winner: Leo Pickard
Congratulations to all our winners!
Why Space Sustainability Matters
The competition is more than just festive fun – it's a chance to highlight the importance of protecting our space environment. Space debris poses real risks to satellites and space missions. With thousands of satellites in orbit, and an increasing number of missions launching every year, it’s vital to minimise the creation of space debris and to develop technologies that can remove or avoid it. Sustainable practices include designing satellites to deorbit safely at the end of their lives, tracking objects in space to avoid collisions, and international cooperation to set standards for responsible behaviour.
By raising awareness, we hope to inspire the next generation to help protect space for everyone.
Thank You
A huge thank you to everyone who entered, to our judges, and to all the teachers, parents, and carers who encouraged young people to get creative. Please continue to share your designs on social media, tagging the UK Space Agency and using the hashtag #KeepSpaceTidy.
For more information about our work on space sustainability, visit our website.
By Leo Pickard – Winner, age 7-12 category and overall winner.
Leo said:
“My picture shows us why we need to #KeepSpaceTidy because it looks like a disaster up there! In my drawing, Santa's sleigh and the reindeer are stuck flying through a big circle full of space junk. He's trying to sweep up the mess while he delivers presents. Santa can't even ignore the problem because it's getting in the way of his job! All the broken bits of old satellites and space junk are getting in the way of important things, and someone needs to clean it up.
“My picture is saying that if we don't start cleaning up space, it will become dangerous which is bad for all the useful satellites people on Earth need to work and communicate. If space is too messy, all the important things we need will get broken or can't launch properly. It means all the cool technology we use every day (like calling our friends or watching YouTube) could stop working.”
By Keir Lennon – Winner, age 0-6 category
Keir said:
“The astronaut has come back to his rocket and found it all tangled up!”
By Chelise Hayes – Winner, age 13-18 category
Chelise said:
“All the presents are debris with a rocket saying keep space tidy and a satellite.”
By Pip Holmes – Winner age 18+ category
Pip said:
“My design depicts one of Santa’s reindeer (Comet!) taking it upon himself to clean up some space debris and stop it from colliding into a satellite.”
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