A private space debris probe called ADRAS-J, operated by Japanese company Astroscale, recently captured the first close-up photo of a piece of space junk in orbit.
The debris was an upper stage of a Japanese H-2A rocket that launched a satellite in 2009. ADRAS-J maneuvered to within a few hundred meters of the discarded rocket body to take the historic photo.
Capturing close photos of debris is a technical accomplishment and helps prove technologies for future spacecraft to inspect and remove space junk. Reduction of large debris objects is important for safe space access.
ADRAS-J’s main task is to study the H-2A upper stage up close as part of demonstrating rendezvous and proximity operations technologies. More photos are expected as it conducts controlled close approaches.
The data collected will provide information about debris and help future removal efforts. Left in orbit, discarded rockets can collide with active satellites and create dangerous debris fields.
While not the first photo of space junk, it represents successful complex maneuvers compared to a simpler 2003 photo from a satellite that shared the same rocket as the debris it photographed.
Source: Space
