SBIR/STTR Research Award
THE OTTER SPACE TUG: New Life for Old Satellites
Award amount
$49,999Program and phase
SBIR · Phase IAward year
2021Award details
- Awarding agency
- Department of Defense
- Branch
- Air Force
- Recipient company
- STARFISH SPACE, INC.
- Proposal award date
- 2021-04-14
- Contract end date
- 2021-07-14
- UEI
- QM7PN38M94U7
- Solicitation number
- X21.1
- Topic code
- AF211-CSO1
Research abstract
Starfish Space is developing affordable and flexible satellite space tug technology, known as Otter Space Tug, enabled by electric propulsion and a Rendezvous and Proximity Operation Docking (RPOD) software. These affordable space tug vehicles will enable in-space logistics, specifically Space Tug operations, in a contested environment. They are quick to manufacture, have multiple uses and are smaller than today’s servicing satellites. Furthermore, by utilizing electric propulsion, space logistics operations performed with Starfish Space technology will have 8x more orbital maneuvering capability.
Technology keywords
Not reported
Other awards by this recipient
Verified by the same UEI. These are other public SBIR/STTR award pages, not a merged company record.
- Project Theseus: Orbital Infrastructure Outfitting enabled by a Universal OSAM Connector for Cost-Effective In-Space Assembly
- Starfish Space STRATFI
- Software and Hardware Development for "Manta", an Articulating Thruster Boom Enabling Responsive Servicing by the Otter Space Vehicle
- Nautilus: GEO Survivability of Novel In-Space Docking Hardware & Capture Mechanism for High-Radiation Orbital Environments
- Nautilus Capture Mechanism Configuration: A Study to Compare Tolerances of Electrostatic and Gecko-like Adhesion of Spacecraft Docking System for Long-Duration Space Missions
Awards with the same topic code
Verified by an exact topic code match. This is not a text-similarity match.
- Training the Ethical Employment of Lethal Autonomous Weapons (TEELAWS)
- Braided Ultra-High Temperature (UHT) Ceramic Matrix Composites (CMC) Scramjet Isolator Development
- SBIR Sequential Phase II (TACFI) Traditional Contract - Athenium Analytics Always Ahead
- Advanced Fielding and Deployment Dashboard Platform
Research funding history
17 SBIR/STTR records share this UEI (2021–2025). Reported award amounts total $13,799,525. Reported amounts are not federal obligations.
Phases: Phase I, Phase II, Phase II – Direct to Phase II
Agencies: Department of Defense, National Aeronautics and Space Administration