Satellite servicing company Starfish Space is set to launch its second mission, Otter Pup 2, on the SpaceX Transporter-14 rideshare mission. Scheduled for mid-June, the spacecraft will attempt to dock with another spacecraft, a D-Orbit ION vehicle, in low Earth orbit.
Otter Pup 2 will use an electrostatic capture mechanism to attach to the unprepared satellite, demonstrating key technologies and procedures for future Otter missions. The mission aims to show that interaction in orbit can be ubiquitous and create a new industry.
On its first mission, Otter Pup was unable to rendezvous with a Launcher tug but successfully approached another D-Orbit ION vehicle and imaged it. This upcoming mission will provide a more realistic test, as the two spacecraft will initially move apart before Otter Pup 2 approaches the D-Orbit vehicle.
Starfish Space CEO Trevor Bennett emphasized that the company’s goal is to demonstrate its technologies and procedures for satellite servicing. The mission will also test rendezvous and proximity operations (RPO) safety and security issues, an area where industry practices are still evolving.
The company has signed contracts with NASA, Intelsat, and the U.S. Space Force for missions ranging from satellite life extension to inspection of orbital debris. Despite some skepticism about the need for satellite services, Starfish Space is seeing interest from government and commercial customers.
Bennett noted that industry efforts like CONFERS are developing best practices for RPO, but more work is needed to address concerns about safety and security in orbit. With its second mission, Starfish Space aims to demonstrate that its technologies can alleviate these concerns and create a new industry around satellite servicing.
Source: https://spacenews.com/starfish-space-ready-to-launch-docking-demonstration-mission