Active Debris Removal (ADR)

Active Debris Removal (ADR) involves sending a spacecraft to rendezvous with, capture, and deorbit a piece of orbital debris. Unlike passive compliance measures (passivation, 25-year rule), ADR addresses objects already in orbit that pose collision risks. Techniques under development include robotic arms, nets, harpoons, and magnetic capture. JAXA's ADRAS-J (2024) demonstrated proximity operations with a defunct upper stage. ESA's ClearSpace-1 (planned 2026) aims to capture and deorbit a Vega upper stage fragment. The emerging ADR market could be worth hundreds of millions annually.