Starfish Small Spacecraft Propulsion and Inspection Capability (SSPICY) Mission Concept Study (SSPICY Starfish)

The Small Spacecraft Technology (SST) program office is seeking a technology demonstration that enables US-commercial solutions for tracking, characterization, and remediation of orbital debris while developing US-commercial capabilities extensible to multiple Space Technology Mission Directorate (STMD) strategic framework areas. Debris is defined as human-made, non-functional objects – including fragments and elements thereof- that exist in Earth orbits or are re-entering Earth’s atmosphere.

Orbital debris is a topic of interest for both NASA and the Department of Defense (as evidenced by the SpaceWERX Orbital Prime STTR awards. Prevention of debris accumulation as well as remediation of existing debris, particularly within low Earth orbit (LEO), is likely a worthwhile endeavor with near-term benefits that warrant immediate action. The National Science and Technology Council published implementation actions for a National Orbital Debris Implementation Plan in 2022. Among the relevant implementation actions identified are: identify potential improvements for conjunction assessments and collision avoidance; collaborate with industry to develop representative cost estimates for various remediation capabilities; create a trade study of remediation options for large (and small) debris to compare the efficacy and cost of all debris remediation modalities (e.g., move, remove, reuse) in all orbital regimes (LEO, MEO, GEO) to guide further technology development; and advance enabling technologies for remediation and repurposing. 

Regardless of the technology used to ultimately deorbit or otherwise dispose of the debris objects, value lies in understanding characteristics of them that will enable future efforts. This is the purpose of the herein requested mission concept study: develop 1 or more spacecraft and a corresponding mission that will rendezvous with and inspect multiple uncontrolled US-originated debris objects. 

To better understand the potential of a near-term technology demonstration mission opportunity, SST invited multiple US-commercial entities (Starfish included) to develop and present an overview of capability, interest, and plan for achieving an in-orbit technology demonstration expected to launch in 2026. Participating teams will develop a mission concept study presentation and report addressing the study requirements for a mission achieving at minimum a set of outlined mission requirements.