Astroscale finalizes contract for Japanese debris removal mission

Space Daily reports the news that Astroscale has finalized a contract with the Japanese space agency JAXA for a mission to remove a defunct upper stage from Earth orbit.

The Active Debris Removal by Astroscale-Japan 2 (ADRAS-J2) mission, valued at 12 billion yen ($82.1 million) will go to the same H-2A upper stage, left in orbit after a 2009 launch, that is currently being inspected by the company’s ADRAS-J spacecraft. ADRAS-J has approached to within 50 meters of the stage, photographed it (see featured photo, courtesy of Astroscale), and flown around it to assess the stage’s condition.

Astroscale UK is one of two companies which successfully completed Phase B mission studies for a potential future UK national active debris removal mission, and Astroscale are also leading the Elsa-M debris removal mission, part funded by the UK Space Agency via ESA.