Astroscale Partners with Isar Aerospace for Debris Removal Mission
Astroscale Japan has signed an agreement with Germany's Isar Aerospace to launch its ADRAS-J2 mission, which aims to capture and remove a large piece of orbital debris. The mission is scheduled to launch aboard Isar's Spectrum rocket from Norway's Andøya Space launch pad during Japan's fiscal year 2027, which spans from April 2027 to March 2028.
The ADRAS-J2 mission is part of the second phase of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency's (JAXA) Commercial Removal of Debris Demonstration (CRD2) program. It targets a non-cooperative H-IIA rocket upper stage, measuring approximately 11 meters in length and weighing about 3 metric tons.
The Spectrum rocket, developed by Isar Aerospace, is designed to handle small- to medium-class payloads, capable of delivering up to one ton into low Earth orbit. This capability is crucial for the precision and flexibility required for the ADRAS-J2 mission.
Stella Guillen, Chief Commercial Officer of Isar Aerospace, emphasized the mission's significance, stating that it exemplifies future space operations' demands for precision and timing. Nobu Okada, Astroscale's CEO, highlighted the mission's goal to achieve the first removal of legacy space debris that was not originally designed for such operations.
The ADRAS-J2 mission follows the successful ADRAS-J mission conducted in 2024, which demonstrated rendezvous and proximity operations by approaching within 15 meters of a rocket upper stage and validating collision-avoidance systems.