NASA’s SSPICY mission has launched to inspect inactive satellites and rocket bodies, with no touching or docking planned during the demonstration. The inspections could help future missions assess whether stranded spacecraft can be repaired or safely removed, protecting the orbital environment used by other missions.
Starfish Space’s Otter spacecraft lifted off from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California on October 1, 2026, aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, according to NASA’s announcement that day. NASA says inspections should begin in early 2027, with up to four inactive objects of U.S. origin on the itinerary. Those encounters are still ahead, so the launch marks the start of the test, rather than proof that the inspection system works.
Otter will measure how targets spin, which way they face and the condition of their surfaces. Its electric propulsion system will move it between objects, while a jointed robotic boom will test directing the thrusters for precise maneuvers. NASA’s mission page says computer vision will track each target’s relative position and motion, feeding software that decides whether to approach or abort.
The useful distinction is between inspecting debris and collecting it. Although Otter carries a docking mechanism designed for spacecraft that lack a purpose-built docking port, docking isn't part of SSPICY’s demonstration goals. NASA awarded Starfish $15 million over three years in 2024 for the mission, describing inspection as a step toward eventual capture, repair or disposal.
The targets also aren't a fixed public itinerary: before launch, Starfish co-founder Trevor Bennett told GeekWire that candidates had been studied and selections would follow once Otter was in orbit. NASA expects roughly two years of operations. Watch for the first inspection results in 2027: NASA says the encounters will test these technologies together for the first time, establishing how well Otter can approach inactive objects and assess their condition. For satellite operators, NASA says that capability could support future missions to extend spacecraft lifetimes and assess repair or disposal options.
SOURCES:
NASA, official source: NASA’s SSPICY Mission to Demonstrate In-Space Inspection Technologies
NASA, official source: NASA’s Small Spacecraft Propulsion and Inspection Capability (SSPICY)
NASA, official source: Getting SSPICY: NASA Funds Orbital Debris Inspection Mission
GeekWire, independent reporting: With NASA’s backing, Starfish Space is getting ready for the orbital debut of its flagship Otter spacecraft
NASA, official source: NASA SmallSats Launch to Advance Science, Technology, Orbital Operations
Sources
- 1.NASA’s SSPICY Mission to Demonstrate In-Space Inspection Technologies · NASA
- 2.NASA’s Small Spacecraft Propulsion and Inspection Capability (SSPICY) · NASA
- 3.Getting SSPICY: NASA Funds Orbital Debris Inspection Mission · NASA
- 4.With NASA’s backing, Starfish Space is getting ready for the orbital debut of its flagship Otter spacecraft · GeekWire
- 5.NASA SmallSats Launch to Advance Science, Technology, Orbital Operations · NASA
Reported by the WattsUpNext desk from the sources linked below. Spot an error? Tell us at corrections@wattsupnext.com.
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