New Space and Tech

Astroscale Ready to Launch World’s First Orbital Debris Inspection Mission

By Sharmila Kuthunur
SpaceRef
September 29, 2023
Filed under , ,
Astroscale Ready to Launch World’s First Orbital Debris Inspection Mission
ADRAS-J rendering.
Image credit: Astroscale.

A mission by the Japanese private company Astroscale is ready to inspect a derelict upper stage in low-Earth orbit, company executives announced in a media briefing on Thursday (Sept. 28).  

The Active Debris Removal by Astroscale-Japan (ADRAS-J) mission will be the first commercial spacecraft to approach and study a piece of orbital debris up close in space. And, pending any issues from the last-minute hold on its launch window, it’s all but set to go.

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Sharmila Kuthunur.

Sharmila is a science journalist covering the cosmos. Her work has appeared in Space.com, Astronomy Magazine, EarthSky, and the Indian print magazine Science Reporter. She received a master's degree in journalism from Northeastern University in 2022.