Astroscale Launches Mission to Inspect Inactive Satellites, Aiming to Enhance Space Sustainability
Astroscale, a Japanese company focused on sustainable space use, has announced a pioneering mission named In-situ Space Situational Awareness-Japan 1 (ISSA-J1), set to launch in 2027. This mission aims to inspect multiple inactive satellites in different orbits, marking a world-first endeavor. The spacecraft, weighing approximately 650 kilograms, will be equipped with propulsion systems and visual observation tools to conduct detailed inspections of the satellites. The mission will initially target two Japanese satellites, ALOS and ADEOS-II, which have completed their operational missions but remain in orbit. ALOS, launched in 2006, lost power in 2011 and orbits at about 691 kilometers, while ADEOS-II, launched in 2002, ceased operations due to a solar panel malfunction and orbits at approximately 806 kilometers. The mission is supported by Japan's Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology and is part of a broader strategy to enhance space environment control and on-orbit servicing ope... 
