SEATTLE and REDONDO BEACH, Calif., Dec. 15, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Starfish Space and Impulse Space today announced the successful completion of the ‘Remora’ mission, an autonomous rendezvous and proximity operations (RPO) demonstration in Low Earth Orbit (LEO). The Remora mission marked an industry first: a fully autonomous rendezvous executed by Starfish with a single lightweight camera system and closed-loop guidance, navigation and control software running on a peripheral flight computer.
Starfish and Impulse conducted the mission using Impulse’s Mira spacecraft that was flown on the Impulse LEO Express 2 mission. Starfish’s payloads enabled Mira to perform close-proximity maneuvers with another Impulse Mira spacecraft on orbit, which had been previously used for the LEO Express 1 mission. During operations in LEO, Starfish software autonomously controlled the LEO Express 2 Mira, guiding the satellite through a series of maneuvers which ultimately brought it to within approximately 1,250 meters of the LEO Express 1 Mira.
Historically, RPO missions have required large spacecraft outfitted with multiple complex sensors. Remora took a different approach, operating with just a single visual-range camera as the only sensor.
The Remora mission served as on orbit validation of Starfish’s core guidance, navigation and control (GNC) software suite, CETACEAN and CEPHALOPOD, which together enable fully autonomous RPO and docking. These systems will power Starfish’s upcoming Otter satellite servicing missions launching for SES, the U.S. Space Force, NASA, and additional customers. By successfully executing RPO with advanced autonomous software rather than heavy, specialized hardware, Starfish proved that it can conduct precise orbital operations more efficiently, safely and affordably than legacy approaches.
Throughout the autonomous RPO, images captured by an onboard camera supplied by TRL11 were continuously processed by Starfish’s CETACEAN computer vision software to generate real-time relative position estimates. These estimates were then used to compute optimal trajectories and command Mira’s thrusters to fire accordingly. As new images were captured, the process repeated in a closed loop, enabling fully autonomous guidance and control throughout the maneuver.
“With Remora, we set out to validate our unique approach to autonomous rendezvous and proximity operations in orbit,” said Dr. Trevor Bennett, Co-founder of Starfish Space. “Proving this capability is a major milestone for Starfish, and gives us tremendous confidence as we move toward our first Otter launches next year.”
The mission also showcased the precise maneuvering capabilities of Impulse’s high-thrust spacecraft, Mira. The eight onboard Saiph thrusters offered 176 N of total available thrust (increased to 208 N on the newly upgraded Mira vehicle), while cold-gas RCS thrusters provided 6 DOF attitude control. Enabling an approach of less than 1,300 meters, Mira proved its agility and capability to handle complex operations throughout the course of the Remora mission.
“Mira is our agile, responsive spacecraft. Its maneuverability and high thrust make it perfectly suited for this type of mission,” said Eric Romo, Impulse Space President and COO. “Together with our partners at Starfish, we brought this mission from concept to execution in less than a year. Our team is ready and able to execute quickly and deliver versatile, complex operations where success is paramount. We’re looking forward to more RPO missions across more orbits in the future.”
This operation also highlighted the flexibility of both the Starfish and Impulse platforms. Starfish software and hardware payloads successfully integrated with Impulse’s Mira spacecraft, demonstrating the compatibility and ease-of-use of both systems. This modular compatibility positions Starfish and Impulse to enable a wide range of future RPO missions.
The Remora mission was developed in just nine months, from initial concept to launch readiness. It quietly launched aboard SpaceX’s Transporter-12 rideshare on January 14, 2025. Starfish and Impulse worked in close coordination throughout the mission, collaborating across teams and moving quickly through design, testing, commissioning and operations. Starfish and Impulse conducted the mission without any prior public announcement, focusing fully on rapid and successful mission execution.
About Starfish Space:
Starfish Space, based in Tukwila, Washington, is building the infrastructure for humanity’s expansion into space. This mission starts with Otter, a satellite servicing vehicle providing life extension services for geostationary satellites and disposal services for low Earth orbit satellites. Founded in 2019, Starfish has raised over $50M in venture capital funding to-date and built a team of engineers with experience spanning satellite guidance, navigation, control, and autonomous robotics. Starfish has launched and executed several demonstration missions to-date, and is launching its first full Otter missions for SES, NASA, and the US Space Force starting in 2026. For more information, please visit starfishspace.com.
Contact:
Jen Thompson
jen@starfishspace.com
503.724.4076
About Impulse Space:
Impulse Space, the in-space mobility leader, is accelerating our future beyond Earth beginning with its fleet of cost-effective, high-performance space vehicles: Helios and Mira. The Helios kick stage unlocks high-energy orbits with its powerful Deneb engine, rapidly transporting payloads from LEO to MEO, GEO, heliocentric, lunar, and other planetary orbits. The flight-proven Mira enables precise maneuverability and rapid responsiveness for hosting, deployment, and rendezvous and proximity operations (RPO) across any orbit. Founded by Tom Mueller and led by a team of industry pioneers, Impulse Space is transforming in-space mobility by reliably and rapidly getting customers where they want to go. And they're just getting started. For more information, visit www.impulsespace.com
Contact:
press@impulsespace.com
A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/14157e3b-ccab-4a68-b307-f7531bfe5a24
