Starfish Space: Building Autonomous Satellite Servicing in a Contested Space Domain

Space is a contested domain. Russian and Chinese satellites are conducting proximity operations near American satellites. Critical U.S. and allied infrastructure depends on space-based assets that can be inspected, approached — or interfered with. On the latest Mission Matters episode, we sat down with Austin Link, CEO of Starfish Space, to discuss why rendezvous & proximity operations (RPO) are becoming mission-critical.Starfish is building “space tugs” that can dock with and move other satellites — extending mission life, disposing of debris, and enabling other national security use cases. Their recent Remora mission autonomously maneuvered one satellite within 1,250 meters of another, validating a core thesis: software can radically lower the cost of operating in orbit.We discuss:Why affordability and scale matter as much as exquisite capability in a contested domainThe role RPO plays in U.S. military operationsThe current state of our adversaries’ orbital warfare capabilitiesHow SBIR → STRATFI can be a springboard to building a scalable businessNavigating classified work without slowing commercial velocityWhere LEO, GEO, and cislunar actually fit in over the next five yearsThe power of software to conduct complex RPO missions with relatively cheap, simple hardwareAs always, please let us know what you think. And please reach out if you or anyone you know is building at the intersection of technology and national security.