Japanese space debris cleaning outfit Astroscale revealed on Monday that it will enter a ¥12,000 million ($81.4 million) five-year contract with the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency to remove the upper stage of the space org's H-IIA rocket from orbit using a newly developed satellite.

That satellite - ADRAS-J2 - will be equipped with a robotic arm to capture and deorbit the rocket parts. The debris is categorized as a non-cooperative object, meaning it does not actively communicate or provide location data and may tumble or move unpredictably.

The project is the second phase of the Commercial Removal of Debris Demonstration (CRD2) - while removal of debris is the goal, it also serves as a proof of concept for commercial space junk disposal services.

According to a filing [PDF] by the space waste management biz, the agreement "represents the largest award in the history of our group and is positioned as a critical mission for the continuous development of Active Debris Removal (ADR) in the future."

The filing detailed that the contract for Phase II will begin on August 20 and continue until the end of March, 2029.

The first phase began in February 2024 and utilized ADRAS-J2's predecessor, ADRAS-J. That phase was tasked with approaching and analyzing the space junk - including its movement, structural condition and any potential damage or deterioration. Astroscale was responsible for the design, manufacture, test, launch and operations of ADRAS-J.

In April, JAXA released an image of the derelict booster taken by ADRAS-J from a range of several hundred meters. Following that success, the agency tapped Astroscale to complete Phase II.

The H-IIA rocket was launched in 2009 carrying the GOSAT Earth observation satellite. The upper stage measures around 11 meters long and four meters in diameter. It remains today, useless for all intents and purposes, in an approximate 600km (373 mile) orbit.

Astroscale clarified that since it was selected for the project back in April of this year, the financial impact of Phase II has already been incorporated into its fiscal forecasts - with revenue expected to be recognized throughout the contract period.

However, that didn’t stop the stock market from showing enthusiasm. Shares of the space-age trash collection biz rose 19 percent on Monday.

Currently, over 30,000 objects larger than ten centimeters are tracked as space debris by various agencies. This debris can affect astronomical observations and contribute to atmospheric environmental issues on Earth. In space, it poses collision risks that threaten the safety and functionality of missions.

With the expansion of global space exploration and broadband satellite initiatives, there are growing concerns about debris management in orbit.

The scenario does, however, present at least one silver lining: potential growth opportunity for businesses like Astroscale. ®

https://www.theregister.com//2024/08/19/japan_astroscale_space_junk_retrieval/