A satellite operated by the Japanese company Astroscale went after a space scrap 15 years old — and took a photo of her up close.
It is a discarded rocket segment — it measures around 11 meters x 4 meters, and has a mass of three tons.
It is the first time that it has been possible to get close to such a large piece of space debris.
Astroscale is developing a technology to clear spaceremoving debris from Earth’s orbit.
She won’t do that on this occasion: the current mission consists of thave the necessary sensors and software for safe approach operations. But one dedicated attempt to remove space debris should take place in the coming yearssays the company.
The issue of cosmic debris and the sustainable use of space is becoming an increasingly relevant topic.
Millions of items of technological debris have accumulated since the start of the space age in 1957 — from paint chips to abandoned rocket segments, like the one just photographed by Astroscale.
These pieces of metal and other errant materials run the risk of colliding and destroying satellites in operation that we use to communicate and monitor the planet.
Rocket structures are a particular hazard due to their immense volume.
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