Astroscale's ADRAS-J Satellite Launches Successfully, Aims to Tackle Space Junk Crisis

Astroscale's ADRAS-J satellite successfully launched aboard a Rocket Lab Electron rocket from New Zealand on Sunday. Its mission is to rendezvous with an old Japanese rocket upper stage that's been in orbit since 2009 as part of a space debris demonstration program. The accumulation of space junk is a growing issue, and agencies are working with private firms to develop cleanup solutions like deorbiting debris. ADRAS-J will be the first to target and safely approach an existing large piece of debris to assess its condition for potential removal.