Starfish Space Awarded First-Ever End-of-Life Disposal Contract for a LEO Constellation
Starfish Space has been awarded a $52.5 million contract by the U.S. Space Force’s Space Development Agency (SDA) to provide Deorbit-as-a-Service (DaaS) for satellites within the Proliferated Warfighter Space Architecture (PWSA). This marks the first contracted end-of-life satellite disposal mission in history for a LEO constellation.
Under the contract, Starfish will build, launch, and operate its Otter spacecraft to safely deorbit SDA satellites at the end of their operational life, with launch targeted for 2027. Designed to service multiple satellites in a single mission and requiring no prior satellite modifications, Otter offers a scalable and cost-effective solution for constellation operators.
As LEO constellations expand, managing end-of-life disposal is becoming a critical operational and strategic challenge. This milestone signals the transition of satellite servicing from concept to operational reality, enabling operators to maximize mission life while ensuring safe, reliable disposal.
