Jetpack in action. The US will strengthen its military satellite with a “jet pack”

The US Space Force ordered the first satellite docking mission of its kind. Its purpose is to strengthen the spacecraft, which will allow it to extend its operation for two years and add maneuverability.

The Space Systems Command (SSC), an organization within the US Space Force that deals with the acquisition and deployment of new military space technologies, signed a $37.5 million contract with Seattle-based Starfish Space to build and launch one of its Otter spacecraft.

At at the beginning of the year, Space Force representatives stated that they are seeking to acquire a «jetpack» which could connect with an existing satellite to give it more thrust,” wrote the publication Breaking Defense. The new Starfish Space mission will aim for exactly that: as claims&nbsp ;SSC, a craft designed to perform non-contact operations and docking compatible with a wide range of vehicles (including those never designed or configured for docking) is to extend the satellite's operation for two years.

< p dir="ltr">Earlier in May, Otter carried out the Pup mission, during which the ship was able to approach the desired satellite to a distance of 1 kilometer. The mission encountered an propulsion system anomaly that made it impossible to maneuver closer to the target. In the end, Starfish Space managed to save the mission.

Despite the challenges Otter Pup faced, the company's results proved to be good enough for the SSC to choose it for their operation.