Redwire Partners With Starfish Space for Otter Pup Satellite Docking Mission, Announces Space Domain Awareness Demo Mission Opportunity

By: Redwire Corporation via Business Wire

February 21, 2023 at 07:45 AM EST

Redwire Corporation (NYSE: RDW), a leader in space infrastructure for the next generation space economy, announced today that it has partnered with Starfish Space to provide Redwire’s ARGUS space domain awareness camera for Starfish Space’s first-ever satellite docking mission, Otter Pup. Additionally, Redwire has secured a contract option with Starfish Space to demonstrate Redwire’s Cerebro Resident Space Object tracking software in orbit upon the completion of the primary mission.

Starfish Space’s mission will demonstrate the first-ever docking of two commercial satellites in low-Earth orbit. Redwire’s Argus camera system will enable Starfish Space’s Otter Pup satellite to determine the relative position of its docking target, a critical capability needed to achieve mission success. Upon completion of the satellite docking mission, Redwire may remotely install its Cerebro Resident Space Object tracking software into the ARGUS camera system, leveraging proven ExoAnalytics algorithms, to demonstrate space domain awareness mission applications for the Department of Defense. Redwire’s Cerebro software enhances survivability of space assets through onboard autonomous proximity awareness and ephemeris calculations to perform space surveillance of resident space objects.

“The Otter Pup mission has the potential to open an entirely new paradigm in how humans go out into the universe around us,” said Austin Link, Starfish Space Co-Founder. “We are excited to be partnering with Redwire on this mission at the frontier of human capabilities in space.”

“Redwire is proud to be delivering mission-critical camera hardware to enable Starfish Space’s innovative satellite-docking mission. Redwire’s camera technology is providing critical navigation capabilities for some of the most exciting and challenging missions today, including 11 cameras flown on NASA’s Artemis I mission. We are leveraging our flight heritage to deliver proven capabilities for civil, commercial and national security space missions,” said Dean Bellamy, Redwire Executive Vice President, National Security Space. “Redwire is identifying opportunities to leverage our ARGUS camera system to enable critical space domain awareness missions to protect high-value assets for the U.S. Space Force.”

Redwire’s ARGUS camera system can support a wide range of commercial, civil space and defense mission applications including machine vision, optical navigation, science, remote sensing, photogrammetry, inspection, video monitoring and mission documentation. Through a contract with Lockheed Martin, Redwire provided the Orion Camera System for the Artemis I mission. Redwire is also providing cameras for Artemis II–V.

About Redwire

Redwire Corporation (NYSE: RDW) is a leader in space infrastructure for the next generation space economy, with valuable IP for solar power generation and in-space 3D printing and manufacturing. With decades of flight heritage combined with the agile and innovative culture of a commercial space platform, Redwire is uniquely positioned to assist its customers in solving the complex challenges of future space missions. For more information, please visit www.redwirespace.com.

About Starfish Space

Starfish Space is a venture-backed startup developing the Otter servicing vehicle to extend the lives of satellites in geostationary orbit and dispose of space debris in low-Earth orbit. Starfish has been recognized by NASA, the U.S. Space Force, and Air Force Research Laboratory for its innovation in satellite servicing technologies. Starfish Space is launching its Otter Pup demonstration mission in summer 2023 with the goal of executing the first-ever docking of two commercial satellites in low-Earth orbit. For more information, please visit www.starfishspace.com.