Starfish Space, a company founded in 2019 by former Blue Origin engineers Trevor Bennett and Austin Link, is finally launching its Otter spacecraft this autumn after seven years of development. The Otter, a spacecraft about the size of a large washing machine, will conduct NASA's first commercially funded debris inspection mission, named SSPICY, examining multiple defunct US satellites in orbit to assess their condition and spin rates. This launch marks a significant step for the company's mission to manage satellite constellations and extend the operational life of assets in space.

The Otter spacecraft weighs approximately 350 kg and will launch on a Falcon 9 Transporter mission next month. NASA is funding the SSPICY mission with $15 million. Starfish Space has about 120 employees and has raised approximately $150 million to date. The company experienced setbacks during development—an earlier test mission in 2023 suffered thruster failures—but subsequent demonstrations including Otter Pup 2 in 2025 have shown promise, achieving close approaches to target spacecraft. Starfish has five additional Otters in production for future missions focused on docking, de-orbiting and satellite servicing.