Starfish Space

Headquartered in Washington, Starfish Space is an on-orbit satellite servicing company, founded by former Blue Origin and NASA engineers. The startup is developing The Otter, a small space tug that will support the cost-effective and adaptable satellite service missions including to extend the lives of large geostationary spacecraft and to remove space debris from low-Earth orbit. Its patented CEPHALOPOD software is an autonomous RPOD software that can use electric propulsion, enabling small RPOD spacecraft which the startup claims can give small servicing vehicles 8x more maneuvering capability. The startup is also commercializing its CEPHALOPOD software package.

Key customers and partnerships

In May 2021, Starfish Space partnered with Benchmark Space Systems to support precision on-orbit services, which includes on-orbit refueling and docking capabilities. In April 2021, Accion Systems announced that two TILE 2 in-space propulsion system units will launch onboard an Astro Digital micro-satellite aboard the June 2021 SpaceX Falcon 9 rideshare launch, which included two TILE 2 ion electrospray propulsion systems that will test on-orbit maneuvers in LEO and will test proximity operations maneuvers supported by Starfish Space software.

Funding and financials

In its latest funding round in March 2023, the company raised USD 14 million in a Series A funding round led by Munich Re Ventures, with the participation of Toyota Ventures and other returning investors from the seed round. Funds raised were to be used to accelerate the development of Otter and the Otter Pup demonstration mission, facilitate growth and increase headcount.