Astroscale, a company dedicated to removing orbital debris, has shared a remarkable image captured by its Active Debris Removal by Astroscale-Japan (ADRAS-J) satellite. The image, taken from a mere 50 meters away, showcases a substantial piece of space junk – a spent rocket’s upper stage, measuring approximately 11 meters in length. This particular piece of debris has been orbiting Earth for 15 years, ever since its launch in 2009 to carry an Earth-observation satellite for Japan. Astroscale has hailed this controlled approach as a groundbreaking achievement in the field.
Japan’s space agency selected Tokyo-based Astroscale for its Commercial Removal of Debris Demonstration (CRD2), and ADRAS-J is an integral part of this initiative. The close-up study of this space junk allows Astroscale to gain a comprehensive understanding of its condition and movement prior to its removal. The gathered data will be crucial in planning a future mission that involves safely approaching the debris, securing it with robotic arms, and ultimately removing it from orbit. The debris will then burn up upon re-entry into Earth’s atmosphere.
Space debris in low-Earth orbit encompasses more than just old rocket parts; it includes decommissioned satellites and fragments resulting from collisions between these objects. According to NASA, millions of pieces of space junk are orbiting Earth at a staggering speed of 18,000 mph, posing a serious threat to functioning satellites providing essential services, as well as to human-crewed habitats like the International Space Station and China’s space station.
For years, international efforts have been underway to find safe and efficient methods for removing this debris, which NASA estimates to weigh close to 6,000 tons. Astroscale’s mission marked the first attempt to safely approach, characterize, and assess the state of a large piece of space junk to understand its movement and condition.
Efforts to maneuver the ADRAS-J spacecraft towards the debris commenced in February, utilizing GPS and ground-based observation data. By April 9th, ADRAS-J had successfully detected the junk using its onboard camera, setting the stage for the approach phase of the observation mission. As ADRAS-J drew within a few miles of the debris, the team deployed an onboard infrared camera, which employed navigation algorithms to ensure a safe final approach.
In May, ADRAS-J reached a point approximately 50 meters from the junk, allowing it to capture detailed imagery, including the photo featured at the top of this page. The mission’s next step involves moving even closer to the debris to acquire more detailed images.
Astroscale stated that the images and data collected are expected to be instrumental in gaining a deeper understanding of the debris and providing vital information for future removal efforts.
