The world's first spacecraft to safely approach and characterize an existing piece of large orbital debris via RPO. Selected by JAXA for CRD2 Phase I, ADRAS-J achieved a 15-meter closest approach to an unprepared H-IIA rocket body in 2024.
ADRAS-J Debris Inspection Spacecraft
The world's first spacecraft to safely approach and characterize an existing piece of large orbital debris via RPO. Selected by JAXA for CRD2 Phase I, ADRAS-J achieved a 15-meter closest approach to an unprepared H-IIA rocket body in 2024.
Description
ADRAS-J represents a historic milestone in active debris removal: the world's first attempt to safely approach and characterize an existing, unprepared piece of large orbital debris using Rendezvous and Proximity Operations (RPO). The spacecraft was selected by JAXA for Phase I of the Commercial Removal of Debris Demonstration (CRD2) project and launched February 18, 2024 aboard a Rocket Lab Electron vehicle.
The mission demonstrated Astroscale's core RPO capabilities by conducting proximity approaches to a derelict Japanese H-IIA upper stage rocket body at approximately 600 km altitude. Key milestones included a 50-meter approach on May 23, 2024, the first fly-around completed July 15, 2024, and a historic 15-meter closest approach on November 30, 2024 — the nearest any spacecraft has come to an unprepared piece of large space debris.
The mission gathered critical data on the debris object's tumble rate, surface condition, and structural characteristics — essential for planning future robotic capture. De-orbit operations for ADRAS-J were initiated March 25, 2026, formally concluding Phase I of CRD2.
Specifications
| Launch Date | February 18, 2024 |
|---|---|
| Launch Vehicle | Rocket Lab Electron |
| Mission Status | Mission complete (de-orbit initiated March 25, 2026) |
| Customer | Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) |
| Program | CRD2 Phase I |
| Target Orbit Altitude | ~600 km LEO |
| Mission Type | Debris inspection and characterization via RPO |
| Closest Approach Achieved | 15 meters (November 30, 2024) |
| Debris Target | H-IIA upper stage rocket body (~3 tons, ~11 m long) |
| Key Technology | Rendezvous and Proximity Operations (RPO) |
