IMPORTANT UPDATE: Effective 1 October 2025, SBIR/STTR program authorization has expired. New activity is paused; ongoing awards remain valid. Awardees are encouraged to contact their TPOCs and contracting officers with questions regarding active awards.
AFWERX, SpaceWERX SBIR/STTR Program Spearheads Space Mobility for Enhanced Logistics and Debris Management
EL SEGUNDO, Calif. — Starfish Space, with support from SpaceWERX, has developed a revolutionary space vehicle designed to service or remove satellites from orbit. The Tukwila, Washington-based aerospace firm’s Otter spacecraft, combined with its advanced software and docking device, enables satellite maneuverability, lifespan extension, and debris mitigation.
Since 2021, AFWERX has awarded Starfish Space 10 SBIR contracts and three STTR contracts, demonstrating the DAF’s commitment to innovative technologies. These contracts have supported the development of Starfish’s Otter spacecraft and its various components, including the Cetacean computer vision navigation software and the Nautilus docking device.
The DAF benefits significantly from Starfish Space’s technology, which enhances satellite-servicing capabilities, improves satellite maneuverability and resilience, and advances space-sustainability efforts. This aligns with the DAF’s goals of maintaining a technological advantage in space and ensuring the long-term viability of space operations.
Looking ahead, Starfish Space is advancing its technology and operational capabilities, securing significant contracts with the Space Force and NASA. A $37.5 million STRATFI contract will deploy the Otter spacecraft in geostationary orbit by 2026, while a $15 million NASA contract will utilize Otter for a debris inspection mission.
In May 2024, Space Systems Command (SSC) in partnership with SpaceWERX awarded Starfish Space a $37.5 million STRATFI contract. That agreement calls for Starfish to build, launch and operate an Otter satellite vehicle designed to conduct a docking mission to provide “augmented maneuver” capability for national security space assets. The effort is part of a strategic collaboration that also includes Space Safari, SSC’s Commercial Space Office as well as its Assured Access to Space organization.
With private funding exceeding $50 million, Starfish Space is poised to launch its first three Otter servicing vehicles in 2026, providing critical services to client satellites for Intelsat, the U.S. Space Force, and NASA.
In addition to its SBIR/STTR work, Starfish Space has also secured Phase III contracts with other government agencies and private companies.
In January 2026, Starfish in a news release stated it has received a $52.5 million contract from the Space Development Agency, part of Space Force, to dispose of satellites at the end of their operational lives. Under the agreement, Starfish will build, launch and operate an Otter spacecraft tasked with deorbiting satellites in the SDA’s Proliferated Warfighter Space Architecture (PWSA) network, a Low Earth Orbit (LEO) constellation, according to the company news release. The LEO, extends from 100 to 1,200 miles above Earth’s surface. SDA plans to place hundreds of satellites in this orbital region over the next few years.
The DAF’s partnership with Starfish Space is a key step towards maintaining its superiority in space and addressing the challenges of space resilience. Space superiority and orbital debris mitigation are priorities of both the Trump Administration and the Department of War (DOW).
*Disclaimer: References to non-federal entities do not constitute or imply Department of War or Air Force endorsement of any company or organization.