Two private aerospace companies, Starfish Space and Impulse Space, have successfully completed a surprise, fully autonomous spacecraft rendezvous demonstration in Low Earth Orbit (LEO), a crucial step toward future satellite servicing and debris removal. The mission, code-named "Remora," was kept under wraps until its successful completion.
Here is a detailed breakdown of the mission:
Partnership and Goal
Collaborators: Starfish Space (Tukwila, Washington-based, specializing in autonomous space operations software) and Impulse Space (California-based, focused on orbital transportation).
Mission Goal: To validate Starfish Space’s autonomous guidance, navigation, and control (GNC) software suite on a third-party spacecraft platform, demonstrating a cost-effective and efficient method for in-space rendezvous and proximity operations (RPO).
The Spacecraft Involved
The mission utilized two of Impulse Space's Mira spacecraft, which are small, maneuverable orbital transfer vehicles:
Chaser Spacecraft (LEO Express 2 Mira):
This was the active, maneuvering satellite for the rendezvous.
It was equipped with Starfish Space's core GNC software, consisting of two programs named "Cetacean" and "Cephalopod," which ran on a peripheral flight computer.
Crucially, it only used a single, lightweight visual-range camera (supplied by TRL11) as its primary sensor for navigation, a departure from traditional RPO missions that require heavy, complex sensor arrays.
Launched in January 2025 on SpaceX's Transporter-12 rideshare mission.
Target Spacecraft (LEO Express 1 Mira):
This was the passive target vehicle.
It was the first Mira spacecraft flown in space, having launched in November 2023 on SpaceX's Transporter-9 flight.
Key Mission Details
Rendezvous Timeline: The close approach occurred in late October 2025 over a period of several hours.
Operations: After the LEO Express 2 Mira completed its primary mission of deploying two CubeSats and performing engine burns, it embarked on the covert Remora mission.
Autonomous RPO: The entire rendezvous process was fully autonomous. Starfish's software autonomously controlled the LEO Express 2 Mira, guiding it through a series of complex maneuvers with zero operator commands necessary for the approach and egress.
Close Approach Distance: The maneuvering Mira was brought to within a mere 4,100 feet (1,250 meters) of the passive target Mira.
Mission Name: "Remora" is named after the fish that attaches itself to larger marine animals, conceptually linking to the idea of one spacecraft approaching another for servicing or attachment.
Significance and Future Implications
The successful execution of the Remora mission marks a significant step for the commercial space industry:
Efficiency and Cost: By proving that precise RPO can be achieved using only a single camera and advanced software, Starfish and Impulse have demonstrated a potentially much more affordable and lightweight approach compared to legacy systems.
Autonomous Operations: The fully autonomous nature of the mission validated Starfish's GNC software, showing its robustness and ability to be quickly integrated into another company's vehicle platform.
Paving the Way for Servicing: The technologies demonstrated on Remora are foundational for future On-Orbit Servicing (OOS) missions, which include:
Satellite Inspection: Visually checking another satellite for damage.
Refueling and Repair: Extending the life of valuable spacecraft.
Active Debris Removal: Attaching to and de-orbiting space junk.
Future Missions: The validated CETACEAN and CEPHALOPOD software will power Starfish's upcoming Otter satellite servicing missions for major customers like SES, the U.S. Space Force, and NASA.
In summary, the Remora mission was a quiet but impactful demonstration that shifted the goalposts for in-space operations, proving that precise, autonomous rendezvous can be achieved with dramatically less hardware, opening up new possibilities for the future of commercial space activities.