Approaching large space debris from a close distance without colliding with it paves the way for future space debris cleanup.
The ADRAS-J spacecraft captured a 3-ton piece of space debris – (Photo: Astroscale Japan Inc).
In February, Astroscale Japan Inc. launched a small spacecraft named Active Debris Removal, or ADRAS-J, with the goal of approaching a large piece of space debris closely without colliding with it.
This mission is part of the space debris removal program by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA).
Recently, ADRAS-J successfully identified, approached, and photographed a piece of space debris from a distance of several hundred meters.
According to LiveScience on May 7, this debris is the upper stage of Japan’s H-IIA rocket, which has been orbiting Earth since 2009. It measures 11m x 4m and weighs about 3 tons.
This marks the first time humanity has captured an image of such a large piece of space debris.
Illustration of the ADRAS-J spacecraft from Astroscale approaching the upper stage of Japan’s old H-2A rocket in Earth’s orbit – (Photo: Rocket Lab).
In the next phase of the mission, ADRAS-J will take more images as it gets closer to the rocket debris to analyze its orbital rotation, damage level, and potential hazards.
Ultimately, JAXA’s most critical task will be to capture the space debris using a satellite equipped with a robotic arm and incinerate it in Earth’s atmosphere.
In addition to JAXA, the European Space Agency (ESA) is also planning to launch the ClearSpace-1 satellite, weighing 500 kg, to recover a piece of debris, the upper stage of the Vega rocket, which was launched in 2013.
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) is also developing a space debris removal program in collaboration with six private American aerospace companies.
Millions of Pieces of Space Debris in Orbit The issue of space debris and the sustainable, safe use of space is currently a hot topic. Since the first satellite was launched in 1957, millions of pieces of space debris, including spent rocket stages, inactive satellites, frozen fuel, and more, have accumulated in Earth’s orbit over the past seven decades. Some of these pieces of space debris are traveling at speeds exceeding 28,000 km/h, posing a danger to other spacecraft and the International Space Station (ISS). |
