New Mission Unveils Close-Up Footage of Orbiting Space Debris

Astroscale, a Tokyo-based space technology company, has achieved a significant milestone in space debris management through its ADRAS-J mission.

The mission recently captured detailed imagery of a large piece of space debris—a 15-year-old upper stage of a Japanese H-IIA rocket. The ADRAS-J spacecraft performed two successful fly-arounds of the debris, providing high-resolution images critical for future removal efforts.

This mission is part of a broader initiative supported by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) to develop and demonstrate technologies for removing hazardous space debris from Earth’s orbit.

The Challenge of Space Debris

Space debris, commonly referred to as space junk, includes defunct satellites, spent rocket stages, and fragments resulting from disintegration, erosion, or collisions. These objects pose a significant threat to operational satellites and the International Space Station, as they travel at extremely high speeds—often exceeding 15,000 miles per hour.

The European Space Agency estimates that there are over 40,500 pieces of space debris larger than 10 centimeters in Earth’s orbit, alongside millions of smaller fragments. This debris can cause catastrophic damage upon collision with functioning spacecraft, leading to a cascading effect known as the Kessler Syndrome.

Astroscale’s ADRAS-J mission, which stands for Active Debris Removal by Astroscale-Japan, focuses on developing capabilities to mitigate these threats. The recent imagery captured by ADRAS-J provided unprecedented views of the 36-foot-long rocket stage, which has been drifting in space since its launch in 2009.

The images were taken from a mere 164 feet (50 meters) away, showcasing the spacecraft’s precision and control. “Astroscale has achieved an unprecedented technical milestone for a commercial company: the controlled fly-around operations of space debris—a rocket upper stage—capturing images from various angles and lighting conditions while maintaining a controlled fixed-point relative position,” the company stated. This achievement underscores the technical challenges and complexities of operating near non-cooperative objects in space.

A Closer Look at Space Junk

The detailed imagery obtained from the ADRAS-J spacecraft revealed that the rocket debris remains largely intact, with no significant damage. This information is crucial for planning the next phase of the mission, which involves physically capturing and removing the debris from orbit.

The spacecraft’s ability to safely approach and image the debris demonstrates the effectiveness of its onboard collision avoidance systems. “Operating in such close orbital proximity to another object is daunting,” said Dr. Toru Yamamoto, who leads Japan’s commercial removal mission. “The ADRAS-J safely maneuvered away from the upper stage as designed, demonstrating the effectiveness of its on-board collision avoidance system in safely approaching a non-cooperative object.”

The mission is part of JAXA’s “Commercial Removal of Debris Demonstration” project, which aims to establish practical methods for clearing space debris. The project seeks to develop and refine technologies that can safely approach, capture, and deorbit large debris objects. The data collected by ADRAS-J will inform the development of the ADRAS-J2 spacecraft, expected to undertake the physical removal of the rocket stage. The ADRAS-J2 will use a robotic arm to grapple the debris and guide it to a lower orbit, where it will eventually burn up upon re-entry into Earth’s atmosphere. “We selected this target because it is a large piece of space debris and there are many similarly shaped (cylindrical) pieces on the [space debris] list,” Yamamoto explained. “If we are successful, we expect to be able to apply these techniques to the removal of similarly shaped space debris.”

Future Plans for Debris Removal

Astroscale’s mission to remove the rocket stage is scheduled for 2027, with ADRAS-J2 playing a central role. This mission will be one of the first attempts to remove a large piece of debris from orbit, setting a precedent for future operations. The company has also signed a contract with OneWeb to remove a defunct satellite fitted with a magnetic docking plate, slated for the same year. Additionally, Astroscale is competing for a UK Space Agency contract to remove two defunct British satellites launched in the 1990s, known as the COSMIC mission.

These efforts are part of a larger international endeavor to address the space debris issue. The European Space Agency, in collaboration with Swiss company ClearSpace, is developing the ClearSpace-1 mission, which aims to deorbit a smaller rocket part by 2026. These missions highlight the increasing importance of space sustainability as the number of satellites and other objects in orbit continues to grow. “LEO is an orbital space junk yard,” NASA explains. “There are millions of pieces of space junk flying in LEO. Most orbital debris comprises human-generated objects, such as pieces of spacecraft, tiny flecks of paint from a spacecraft, parts of rockets, satellites that are no longer working, or explosions of objects in orbit flying around in space at high speeds.”

Astroscale’s ADRAS-J mission represents a significant advancement in space debris management. The detailed imagery and data collected during the mission provide valuable insights into the condition and behavior of space debris, informing future removal strategies. As space becomes increasingly congested, addressing the challenges posed by space debris will be essential for maintaining the safety and sustainability of space operations.

The success of missions like ADRAS-J and future endeavors will be critical in ensuring that the space environment remains viable for future generations. “We are watching you from every angle,” Astroscale tweeted, highlighting the thoroughness of their surveillance efforts.