Space debris observed by (GOSAT) or Ibuki Japan’s demonstration satellite

The ADRAS-J technology demonstration satellite has captured an image of space debris. The debris is a discarded upper stage of a Hayabusa H-IIA rocket. ADRAS-J will now close in and conduct fly-around as well as fixed-point observations of the target

Tokyo: Japan is aggressively developing technologies to actively remove space debris. A technology demonstrator satellite is being used to find out the condition of debris in orbit, and evaluate the capabilities of tracking such objects.

The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), which is the national space agency of Japan has released an image captured by the technology demonstration satellite ADRAS-J as it approached a space debris target. The target is the H-IIA upper stage of a rocket that was used to launch the Greenhouse Gases Observing Satellite (GOSAT) or Ibuki in 2009. The image was captured from a few hundred metres behind the debris.

One of the objectives of the technology demonstration mission is to acquire the images that reveals the motion and condition of the debris, that has been in orbit for an extended period. The image above is one of the initial results. JAXA has examined the attitude motion of the target debris, and has speculated that it is swinging back and forth. The newly captured images supports this hypothesis.

Complementary Tests On The Ground

Japan has also conducted accelerated on-ground tests to understand how the insulating materials used on the rocket surfaces degrades with age, under the presence of ultraviolet light. The experiment was conducted at the Tsukuba Space Centre’s Ultraviolet Irradiation Facility. The results indicated that the orange insulating material would turn dark brown in orbit after ten years, because of continuous exposure to strong ultraviolet radiation.

The image above, confirms the discolouration, and validates the on-ground experiments. The degradation of such materials influences the distances from which such debris objects can be tracked and approached for rendezvous and proximity operations. The ADRAS-J satellite will now conduct fixed-point and fly-around observations at closer distances.

Japan has been aggressively developing the technologies necessary for actively removing debris from Earth orbit. Such operations require satellites to track and approach space junk up close. In 2020, JAXA launched the Kounotori-6 spacecraft with an electrodynamic tether to capture and deorbit debris, but that demonstration was unsuccessful as the whip failed to deploy.

(With Agency Inputs)