Africa-Press – Eritrea. Intelsat, a global leader in satellite communications, has entered into a groundbreaking agreement with Starfish Space to extend the operational life of one of its geostationary satellites using the innovative Otter servicing vehicle.
This partnership, set to commence in 2026, marks Starfish Space’s first mission serving a commercial satellite operator.
Jean-Luc Froeliger, Senior Vice President of Space Systems at Intelsat, emphasized the company’s commitment to innovation and leveraging emerging technologies.
He highlighted that the collaboration with Starfish Space reflects Intelsat’s strategy to maximize the value of its satellite fleet for customers through advanced satellite servicing capabilities.
Intelsat has been at the forefront of satellite mission extension, having pioneered satellite life extension agreements since 2016 and continuing to expand its capabilities in recent years.
The agreement with Starfish Space signifies a significant milestone for both companies, aiming to broaden the satellite servicing market and drive industry advancements in satellite operations.
Starfish Space’s Otter spacecraft, renowned for its small satellite architecture and cutting-edge hardware and software technologies, will initially manoeuvre a retired Intelsat satellite in a geostationary graveyard orbit. Following this, Otter will perform life extension services for an operational Intelsat satellite, ensuring prolonged operational capabilities through onboard propulsion systems.
Dr. Trevor Bennett, Co-Founder of Starfish Space, expressed enthusiasm about supporting Intelsat and highlighted the transformative impact of Otter in enhancing satellite operations.
He emphasized that this mission with Intelsat marks the beginning of a new era where on-orbit servicing becomes integral to satellite operations globally.
For More News And Analysis About Eritrea Follow Africa-Press
