NASA Spacecraft to Clean Up Space Junk Launches Successfully

A new spacecraft is about to get closer to space junk than anything before it, and the breakthrough could help protect the satellites that power our phones, weather forecasts, and GPS.

NASA's Small Spacecraft Propulsion and Inspection Capability (SSPICY) mission launched October 1 from California. The Otter spacecraft, built by Seattle-based Starfish Space, will approach up to four dead satellites and rocket bodies floating in low Earth orbit.

Starting in early 2027, Otter will navigate within hundreds of yards of each broken object using smart software that makes decisions on its own. Computer vision and sensors guide the spacecraft in real time with minimal help from ground controllers, like a self-driving car for space.

During each inspection, the spacecraft will collect vital information about the debris. It will measure spin rates, check orientations, and examine surface conditions of objects that haven't been touched since they stopped working.

An electric propulsion system powers Otter between targets, while a robotic arm tests precise movements between different orbits. This mission marks the first time these technologies work together as one integrated system.

The spacecraft won't touch or dock with anything during this demonstration. But it's testing the exact capabilities needed for future missions to repair satellites in space or safely guide broken ones back to Earth's atmosphere for disposal.

Why This Inspires

The problem SSPICY tackles affects everyone who uses modern technology. Thousands of satellites launch each year to provide services people rely on daily, from communication to navigation to weather tracking.

Dead satellites and rocket bodies can break apart or crash into each other, creating more dangerous debris. Each collision makes orbital space more hazardous for working satellites that keep our world connected.

By developing ways to inspect and eventually repair or remove broken objects, missions like SSPICY help ensure space stays usable for generations. The technology could transform space maintenance from impossible to routine, just like fixing infrastructure on Earth.

What started as NASA-funded innovation through small business awards has grown into a full spacecraft mission. Starfish Space turned early development funding into real hardware now orbiting above us.

The future of space is getting cleaner, one inspection at a time.