Astroscale, a leading space debris removal company, has made significant progress in its mission to clean up space junk orbiting the Earth. The company’s space junk observation satellite, ADRAS-J, has successfully approached a discarded rocket upper stage that has been floating in space for almost two decades. Astroscale released an image taken by the satellite from a distance of just 50 meters on June 14, marking a major milestone in their ambitious program.
The primary goal of this first phase of Astroscale’s campaign, known as the Commercial Removal of Debris Demonstration Project (CRD2), is to demonstrate safe approach maneuvers and gather data about the target object. ADRAS-J, weighing 150 kilograms, was selected by the Japanese national space agency for this phase in 2020. In April, Astroscale was also chosen for the second phase of the project, which involves grappling and deorbiting the object.
ADRAS-J was launched into space on a Rocket Lab Electron rocket in February and has been gradually closing in on the discarded rocket upper stage since then. Unlike many other objects in space, this rocket stage does not transmit its location. Therefore, Astroscale had to use ground-based techniques to estimate its position and gather additional data to determine the best approach trajectory.
In addition to capturing close-up images, ADRAS-J is collecting valuable data about the object’s spin rate and overall condition. In the next phase of the mission, Astroscale plans to execute even more controlled close approach maneuvers, including flying around the upper stage to capture additional images. Once the mission is completed, ADRAS-J will transition to a safe orbit to avoid any potential collisions with the space junk.
Astroscale’s recent achievements have not gone unnoticed. The company started trading on the Tokyo Stock Exchange Growth Market earlier this month, further solidifying its position as a leader in space debris removal. With offices in the U.S., United Kingdom, France, and Israel, Astroscale is developing a range of spacecraft to manage both active and defunct satellites in orbit. This includes services like life extension for large satellites in geostationary orbit and “end of life” services for commercial satellites in low Earth orbit that have fulfilled their mission.
Astroscale has also shared additional images captured by ADRAS-J on YouTube, allowing the public to witness the progress being made in cleaning up space debris. These images serve as a testament to the company’s dedication and technological advancements in solving the growing problem of space junk.