Space Force Expands Dual-Use Logistics Demonstrations with Commercial Partners A Space Systems Command program office is advancing two demonstrations designed to test dual-use refueling and augmented maneuver capabilities through partnerships with commercial industry. The initiatives, which are fully funded and currently under contract, are set to launch in early 2027. Col. Scott Carstetter, director of the servicing, mobility, and logistics office in Space Systems Command’s Space Access Portfolio Acquisition Executive, highlighted that the projects represent a strategic effort to integrate commercial technologies with military operations. The decision to prioritize refueling and augmented maneuver capabilities stems from their existing technological maturity and immediate relevance to military operations. Carstetter emphasized that the Space Command has a pressing need for maneuver warfare in orbit, which requires refueling capabilities. He noted that leveraging commercial assets, particularly those with orbital mobility, is critical for conducting operations when needed. The refueling demonstration is being conducted through a contract with Astroscale U.S., while the augmented maneuver project involves Starfish Space’s Otter space vehicle. Both companies will own and operate the systems used in the tests, a model Carstetter’s office is evaluating to assess how commercial providers can be integrated with government assets. While technical challenges are deemed unlikely due to the reliability of the systems, Carstetter acknowledged potential difficulties in coordinating commercial and government entities. Starfish Space’s project involves mating a commercial service satellite with a government-owned asset, managing attitude control, and executing movement and maneuvering of space vehicles.#space_force #northrop_grumman #astroscale_us #starfish_space #col_scott_carstetter
Space Force Eyes 2027 Demonstrations of In-Space Refueling and Satellite Servicing The U.S. Space Force is set to launch a series of spacecraft to geostationary orbit in 2027 as part of two separate demonstrations aimed at testing in-space refueling and satellite servicing technologies. These efforts are part of a broader push by the military to develop capabilities for maintaining and extending the operational life of satellites in orbit, akin to how aircraft or ships are serviced on Earth. The mission, known as USSF-23, will deploy a fuel-transfer spacecraft developed by Astroscale U.S., a propellant depot created by Orbit Fab, and a servicing “space tug” from Starfish Space. The goal is to demonstrate what the Space Force refers to as servicing, mobility, and logistics—technologies that officials believe are critical for enhancing the survivability and maneuverability of assets in space. The demonstrations are part of a larger initiative to explore whether orbital logistics can become a commercially viable sector. Col. Scott Carstetter, who leads the servicing, mobility, and logistics office at Space Systems Command, emphasized that his team has spent three years analyzing the potential for a market around orbital logistics. “The key question is whether these services ultimately become commercially provided capabilities or if the government will have to be the leader in some of these areas,” Carstetter said. To address this, his office has funded two major demonstrations, with the USSF-23 mission serving as a pivotal test. One of the demonstrations involves Astroscale’s Provisioner spacecraft, a 300-kilogram vehicle equipped with a refillable hydrazine tank designed to transfer fuel to satellites in orbit. The spacecraft was developed under a 2023 Space Force agreement that included $25.#space_force #northrop_grumman #astroscale_us #orbit_fab #starfish_space
