A Japanese space venture, Astroscale Holdings Inc., recently made a significant stride in the quest to manage space debris by releasing the first-ever detailed image of a piece of space junk. This marks a notable advancement in the comprehension of space-borne waste issues.
The subject of the photograph is the upper stage of a Japanese H2A rocket, which has been in orbit since its 2009 launch. Captured by Astroscale’s ADRAS-J, a cube-shaped trial satellite, the debris was photographed from a distance of several hundred meters.
Traveling at considerable velocities roughly 600 kilometers above the planet, the debris spans about 11 meters in length, has a 4-meter diameter, and a mass of approximately 3 tons. The image reveals the object, covered in brown insulation materials, adrift in the vast, dark void of space.
“The unprecedented image marks a crucial step towards understanding and addressing the challenges posed by space debris, driving progress toward a safer and more sustainable space environment,” the Tokyo-based satellite-servicing company stated in a press release.
Analysis by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) has determined that the originally orange insulation has darkened to brown due to prolonged exposure to intense ultraviolet rays in space.
Following this initial imaging success, the ADRAS-J mission will continue by moving closer to the debris, within a few meters, to examine its rotation, level of damage, and the extent of its deterioration.
The issue of space debris removal is gaining urgency with the increasing clutter in Earth’s orbit raising concerns over the risk of hazardous collisions with satellites and rockets.
Founded in 2013 by Nobu Okada, a former bureaucrat of the Finance Ministry, Astroscale aims to provide commercial space debris removal services. The company’s future endeavors include plans to gather space waste using satellites equipped with robotic arms and then safely disposing of it by re-entry into Earth’s atmosphere.
The ADRAS-J satellite, an acronym for Active Debris Removal by Astroscale-Japan, began its journey from New Zealand earlier this year in February.
