NASA-Funded SSPICY Mission Experiences Communications Loss
A NASA-supported small satellite launched in October as a technology demonstration has lost contact with its owner and operator, Starfish Space. NASA and Starfish have concluded the spacecraft is not recoverable due to an issue preventing communications between the SmallSat and ground operators. Led by Starfish Space, NASA’s Small Spacecraft Propulsion and Inspection Capability (SSPICY) […] The…
The NASA-backed Starfish Space Otter satellite, launched in October as part of the Small Spacecraft Propulsion and Inspection Capability (SSPICY) mission, has lost contact with its operators. Engineers from both NASA and Starfish have determined the satellite is unrecoverable due to a fault protection system failure disrupting radio communications.
Commissioning, the initial phase after launch where systems are tested and calibrated, failed to reestablish two-way communication. The fault protection system, onboard software for problem detection, erroneously shut down the radio. The technology demonstration aimed to navigate, inspect, and rendezvous with inoperable U.S. satellites in low Earth orbit, while showcasing advanced propulsion and robotic technologies.
The SSPICY mission, funded by NASA's Advanced Research and Technology Division, is managed by the Small Spacecraft and Distributed Systems program at NASA's Ames Research Center. The loss emphasizes the importance of commercial capabilities for U.S. space competitiveness and leadership.
Written by urgent.news from NASA Science's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
