Jane Edwards
Starfish Space has secured a $37.5 million contract from Space Systems Command to further develop, launch and operate a satellite designed to provide augmented maneuver support for national security assets in orbit.
SSC said Monday Starfish Space’s Otter spacecraft is being designed to offer autonomous rendezvous, proximity operations and docking capabilities to enable the U.S. Space Force to support space mobility and logistics missions in support of warfighters.
“There is a wide range of applications for Starfish Space’s Otter in addition to augmented maneuver, such as station-keeping or life extension, orbital transfer, and ultimately orbital disposal which assures access to key orbital slots while demonstrating responsible norms in space,” said Col. Joyce Bulson, director of servicing, mobility and logistics within SSC’s Assured Access to Space.
The contract was awarded under the Department of the Air Force’s Strategic Funding Increase or STRATFI program, which seeks to advance Phase II projects under the Small Business Innovative Research initiative through additional funds.
According to the Department of Defense, the company will perform contract work at its Washington facility and at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida through June 30, 2028.
The 45th Contracting Squadron at Patrick Space Force Base in Florida launched a competitive acquisition process for the firm-fixed-price contract with one offer received and will obligate approximately $1.1 million in fiscal 2023 research, development, test and evaluation funds.
