Japan Takes Innovative Step to Remove Space Debris and Clean Earth’s Orbit

The Earth faces an increasing threat from growing space debris, including old rockets and abandoned satellites, which jeopardize the safety of future space missions.

In light of this escalating problem, a Japanese company has decided to take decisive action to address the crisis. Astroscale launched the ADRAS-J mission, the first of its kind, aiming to approach uncontrolled space debris in low Earth orbit.

The company sent a spacecraft into space with the goal of approaching an old H-IIA rocket stage, which has been drifting in space since 2009. Despite significant challenges, the spacecraft was able to approach the rocket within 15 meters, using advanced navigation technologies based on cameras and lasers.

This success has given the company a strong boost for future endeavors, securing an additional $88 million in funding from the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) to develop the next ADRAS-J2 mission. This mission will include a robotic arm capable of capturing debris and removing it from orbit to burn up in the atmosphere. The mission is expected to take place in 2027, marking a significant step toward cleaning space of the debris that poses a major threat.