Space Force Awards Contract to Starfish Space
Will Deliver a Dedicated Otter Satellite Servicing Vehicle
Under a contract issued under the APFIT program, the U.S. Space Force will acquire a Starfish Space Otter satellite servicing vehicle for the Space Systems Command, expanding the service’s augmented maneuver capabilities.
“APFIT is a key program in transitioning platforms like Otter from development to deployed capability.”
Austin Link, Starfish Space
The contract, funded through the Pentagon’s Accelerate the Procurement and Fielding of Innovative Technologies (APFIT) program, supports delivery of an Otter spacecraft for dynamic space operations in geosynchronous orbit. The award reflects confidence in Starfish to deliver a near-term, deployable capability, with the Otter scheduled for delivery in 2028.
The Otter is designed to autonomously dock with and maneuver national security satellites, maximizing their operational capabilities while supporting SSC’s need for sustained space maneuver. The spacecraft leverages autonomous rendezvous, proximity operations, and docking technology, allowing it to service satellites that were not originally designed for servicing.
Following the first acquisition in 2024 under a Strategic Funding Increase (STRATFI), this Otter will be the second Otter acquired by SSC in an anticipated series of augmented maneuver vehicles. This contract, in addition to a recent award by the Space Development Agency for Otter end-of-life disposal services, positions Starfish Space as a foundational provider of on-orbit servicing, mobility, and logistics for the U.S. Space Force.
Otter addresses a critical need for sustained space operations and maximizes the capabilities national security assets can deliver to the Warfighter. The award underscores a broader shift toward on-orbit servicing as a core element of national space architecture and represents Otter’s transition into a sustained, operational capability.
“Starfish Space is proud to grow our partnership with the Space Force under the APFIT program,” said Austin LInk, co-founder of Starfish Space. “APFIT is a key program in transitioning platforms like Otter from development to deployed capability. Through dynamic space operations and autonomous augmented maneuver, we enable the Space Force to sustain critical space assets, increase resilience, and maintain operational flexibility across evolving mission demands.”
This award is the only APFIT contract issued to a space company in the current funding cycle and represents one of the largest APFIT awards in the history of the program. It exemplifies the program’s purpose to rapidly transition proven, high-impact technologies out of development and into operational use by funding production, integration, and delivery at scale.