Astroscale Japan Selects Isar Aerospace to Launch ADRAS-J2

ADRAS-J2 aims to become the world's first mission to capture and remove an existing piece of large orbital debris.

Tokyo, Japan/ Munich, Germany, Sep. 1, 2026 – Astroscale Japan Inc., the Japan subsidiary of Astroscale Holdings Inc., has selected Isar Aerospace to launch its ADRAS-J2 mission, which is on track to become the world’s first mission to capture and remove an existing large piece of space debris.¹ The mission is targeted for launch in Japan's fiscal year 2027 (April 2027 to March 2028) on Isar Aerospace’s Spectrum launch vehicle from the company’s dedicated launch pad at Andøya Space in Norway.

Active debris removal is an essential capability for reducing collision risk, protecting vital space infrastructure and enabling the secure and sustainable use of Earth’s orbits. As the follow-on mission to ADRAS-J's successful debris inspection mission, ADRAS-J2 will now further demonstrate this capability by safely approaching and capturing a non-cooperative rocket upper stage in orbit that was never designed for rendezvous, capture or removal. Unlike spacecraft prepared in advance for end-of-life disposal, ADRAS-J2 combines Astroscale’s flight-proven rendezvous and proximity operations (RPO) capabilities with its in-house robotic arm technology to remove an existing object from orbit.

The mission is being developed as Phase II of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency’s (JAXA) Commercial Removal of Debris Demonstration (CRD2) project. ADRAS-J2 will target an upper-stage rocket body measuring about 11 meters long, 4 meters in diameter, and weighing about 3 tons. Capturing and removing a non-cooperative object of this scale is among the most complex challenges in debris removal, requiring precise navigation, robust safety systems and advanced robotic capture capabilities.

Spectrum is Isar Aerospace’s in-house designed and manufactured orbital launch vehicle for small and medium-sized satellites. With a payload capacity of up to one tonne to low Earth orbit and the ability to support mission-specific orbital requirements, it is designed for customers that require dedicated and tailored access to space. These capabilities make it particularly well suited for complex missions such as ADRAS-J2, where precise orbital insertion is critical to mission success. Isar Aerospace plans to conduct multiple launches ahead of ADRAS-J2, which is expected to further enhance the reliability of the launch vehicle.

“ADRAS-J2 is a pioneering mission that aims to achieve the world’s first removal of a large piece of legacy space debris that has remained in orbit for decades and was never designed for removal,” said Nobu Okada, founder and CEO of Astroscale. “After more than half a century of human activity in space, the number of debris objects in orbit continues to increase, posing a growing threat to the long-term sustainability of the space environment. ADRAS-J2 represents a critical step toward actively addressing this challenge and brings us closer to achieving Astroscale’s vision of the secure and sustainable development of space for future generations.

Beyond demonstrating debris removal capabilities, we believe the success of ADRAS-J2 will help advance international dialogue, standards, and policy frameworks for active debris removal. Launch marks the beginning of this important mission, and we are pleased to partner with Isar Aerospace, whose launch flexibility and commitment to meeting our mission requirements make them a valuable partner for this landmark mission. We look forward to working together to deliver ADRAS-J2 into orbit.”

“ADRAS-J2 is the kind of mission that defines the future of space operations. It requires precision, flexibility, and the ability to reach the right orbit at the right time. That is exactly what our launch vehicle Spectrum is built for,” said Stella Guillen, Chief Commercial Officer of Isar Aerospace. “We are delighted to be working with the global Astroscale group again on another pioneering mission. This second launch agreement reflects the confidence our customers place in our team and technology and deepens a partnership that is advancing the next generation of space missions.”

ADRAS-J2 builds on the success of ADRAS-J, conducted in 2024 as Phase I of JAXA’s CRD2 project. During ADRAS-J, Astroscale became the first commercial company to rendezvous with and conduct close-proximity inspection of an existing piece of large orbital debris. The mission demonstrated autonomous RPO around a non-cooperative object, including close-range imaging, fly-around observation at 50 meters, and an ultra-close approach of just 15 meters.

ADRAS-J also inspected the Payload Attach Fitting (PAF) on the upper-stage rocket body, the planned capture interface for the ADRAS-J2 mission, confirming that it showed no significant damage and providing essential data for capture planning.

Building on the flight heritage established during ADRAS-J, ADRAS-J2 will demonstrate the next key capability for scalable on-orbit servicing. By safely capturing and removing an existing non-cooperative debris object, the mission will pave the way for routine active debris removal and a more sustainable orbital environment. The satellite is currently undergoing assembly and manufacturing in preparation for its launch.

About Isar Aerospace

The European space company Isar Aerospace offers launch services for transporting small and medium-sized satellites and satellite constellations into orbit. The launch vehicles used to transport these satellites are developed, manufactured, and tested almost entirely in-house. Headquartered near Munich, Germany, Isar Aerospace was founded in 2018 and has grown to over 400 employees, working across 5 international locations. Private funding from international investors provides strong backing for the company’s pioneering approach to scale and industrialize launch vehicle production through vertical integration. More information: www.isaraerospace.com.

About Commercial Removal of Debris Demonstration (CRD2)

Astroscale Japan has been selected by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) and contracted as the partner for CRD2 Phase II. This phase aims to demonstrate technologies for removing large pieces of debris, among other applications, and has led to the development of ADRAS-J2. CRD2 represents a new initiative by JAXA, with two primary goals: to develop debris removal technologies to address the growing space debris issue and to foster the commercial endeavors of Japanese companies. This project is carried out with JAXA's support, including technical guidance, testing facilities, and the rights to research findings’ intellectual property. https://www.kenkai.jaxa.jp/crd2/project/

About Astroscale

Astroscale is the global leader in on-orbit servicing, dedicated to the secure and sustainable development of space. The company delivers a variety of innovative and scalable on-orbit servicing solutions, including life extension, refurbishment, upgrades,in-situ space situational awareness, end-of-life, and active debris removal. Since its first successful launch in March 2021, Astroscale has proven rendezvous and proximity operations technologies in orbit during the ELSA-d and ADRAS-J missions. Astroscale spacecraft have been selected for pioneering missions with JAXA, the U.S. Space Force, the European Space Agency, the UK Space Agency, and Eutelsat. As more satellite operators adopt on-orbit servicing to routinely inspect, relocate, remove, and extend the life of spacecraft, the potential of a circular space economy — and a future of no waste in space — is being unlocked. Headquartered in Japan, Astroscale has a global presence with subsidiaries in the United Kingdom, the United States, France, and Israel. https://www.astroscale.com/en

¹ Based on public information in July 2026.