Astroscale's ADRAS-J Mission Achieves Key Milestone in Space Debris Removal

The Japanese spacecraft successfully captured high-quality images of a defunct rocket stage, paving the way for future cleanup operations.

ADRAS-J performed fly-around observations of a 15-year-old rocket stage, capturing detailed images from various angles.
The mission marks the first commercial attempt to safely approach and survey large space debris.
Collected data will aid in the development of ADRAS-J2, set to launch in 2027 for debris removal.
Space debris poses significant risks to operational satellites and the International Space Station.
Astroscale has secured contracts for future debris removal missions, including collaborations with OneWeb and the U.K. Space Agency.