The Otter vehicle is based on Redwire's US-built SabreSat Orbital Drone.
The DARPA contract is part of the Otter program, which aims to validate VLEO technology through a flight lasting more than a year at an orbital altitude between 90 and 250 km.
The Otter mission will demo the world’s first air-breathing spacecraft and advance next-generation orbital capabilities.
The Otter spacecraft leverages the design of Redwire’s SabreSat platform.
Otter is built on Redwire’s U.S.-built SabreSat Orbital Drone.
The phase 2 contract provides funding to complete manufacturing and deliver the Otter spacecraft for the mission.
The Otter spacecraft will showcase innovative software and hardware systems designed to extend spacecraft life in low-altitude orbital environments.
Redwire Corporation has been awarded a $44 million phase 2 contract to advance DARPA's Otter very Low Earth Orbit mission.
The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) awarded Redwire a $44 million phase 2 contract to advance an air-breathing spacecraft in the Otter Very Low Earth Orbit (VLEO) mission.
The spacecraft for the Otter mission is built on Redwire’s SabreSat platform, which is described as an orbital drone.
The Otter mission is tasked with collecting data for air-breathing electric propulsion technologies, which are designed to turn low-density air into propulsion needed to stay in VLEO.
The phase 2 contract will fund the completion of manufacturing and delivery of the spacecraft for the Otter mission.
Otter missions for Intelsat and the U.S. Space Force are projected to launch to geostationary orbit in 2026.
Starfish Space’s first two Otter missions for Intelsat and the U.S. Space Force will launch to geostationary orbit in 2026 and begin providing services thereafter.
The Starfish Otter servicing vehicle will dock with a retired Intelsat satellite in geostationary graveyard orbit during a checkout campaign before docking with and servicing an operational Intelsat satellite.
Otter will use its onboard propulsion system to maintain a client satellite in operational geostationary orbit to provide additional years of life.
Intelsat signed a contract with Starfish Space for a Starfish Otter servicing vehicle to provide life extension services to an Intelsat geostationary satellite beginning in 2026.
As the prime contractor for the DARPA Otter program, Redwire will build the SabreSat bus and develop and integrate mission-related technologies.
Redwire received a DARPA contract to serve as the prime mission integrator for the Otter program to develop an air-breathing satellite that demonstrates novel electric propulsion in very low Earth orbit (VLEO).