NASA and Starfish Space have concluded that the Otter spacecraft carrying the SSPICY technology demonstration cannot be recovered after losing communications during commissioning. NASA’s November 3 mission update attributes the loss to fault-protection software keeping the spacecraft’s radio incorrectly switched off.
The spacecraft launched on October 1, 2026, and initially communicated with Starfish. Contact was subsequently lost during the early operational phase when teams activate spacecraft systems and prepare them for regular use. NASA and Starfish investigated the failure but did not restore two-way communications.
Fault protection is onboard software that detects abnormal conditions and responds to them. In this case, the response prevented the radio from operating, removing the communications link between the spacecraft and its ground operators.
The Planned Inspection Mission
SSPICY stands for Small Spacecraft Propulsion and Inspection Capability. Before the loss, NASA’s mission description outlined inspections of as many as four inactive objects of U.S. origin in low Earth orbit, including satellites and rocket bodies.
The planned encounters were noncontact inspections. Otter was to approach and observe the objects from a distance, collecting information about their rotation, orientation, and surface condition. Inspections had been planned to begin in early 2027.
The mission combined autonomous guidance and navigation with electric propulsion. Cameras and onboard processing were intended to help the spacecraft assess its surroundings and manage approaches with limited ground intervention. An articulating boom would point the thrusters to support movement between inspection targets.
The spacecraft’s role within Starfish’s broader servicing program is described in New Space Economy’s coverage of the Otter servicing spacecraft. SSPICY specifically focused on inspection and technology demonstration.
This flight marked the first deployment of Otter and the first integration of Starfish’s navigation and propulsion technologies in one spacecraft. NASA states that Starfish intends to gather technology-performance and orbital-debris inspection information for the agency during future Otter missions.
