Robot model
Otter
Small autonomous satellite-servicing vehicle (space tug) using electrostatic/Nautilus capture and CETACEAN autonomous-navigation software.
- Manufacturer
- Starfish Space
- Form factor
- space
- Maturity
- pilot
- Lifecycle
- active
- Deployments
- 1
- Website
- starfishspace.com ↗
The verified answer
As of Oct 2026, DEPLOY verifies Otter, a space by Starfish Space (pilot): 1 verified deployment on record. 2 sources back the record.
Deploy Watch
Track Otter on Deploy.
We notify you when a verified state change lands on the record, not when the company issues a claim.
Key facts
Robot
Technology
Focus
Country
Specs
Role
Autonomy
Data & sources
Web sources
2
2 sources backing this record.View all →
Pricing
No verified price is on record for Otter. Physical-AI systems are often sold through enterprise contracts or operated as a service rather than at a public list price.
Deployments (1)
The Otter Pup demonstration mission in low Earth Orbit involved an orbital rendezvous between Starfish Space's Otter and D-Orbit, which was completed to close out the mission.
Otter on the deployment map
View the global mapWhere Otter is verified operating. Explore the deployment map by place and type.
Recent activity
Every change to this record is dated, sourced, and independently verified where marked.
- Verified media addedVerifiedJun 6, 2026
Starfish Space Otter Pup
- Record createdJun 5, 2026
Added to the verified registry
- Deployment verifiedVerifiedJun 12, 2023
at Low Earth Orbit
Deployment-verified media (1)
Starfish Space's overview of its Otter Pup orbital-servicing demonstration, a small satellite servicer with electric propulsion and autonomous rendezvous and docking. Demo-stage: Otter Pup 1 suffered an early tumbling anomaly that was recovered, and full commercial docking has not yet been demonstrated.
From deployment: Low Earth Orbit
Safety record
No incidents on record for Otter.
Only active incidents are counted. Retracted incidents are excluded from this summary but remain reachable at their canonical URLs.
Sources (2)
Common questions
What is Otter?
How much does Otter cost?
Is Otter actually deployed in the real world?
Who makes Otter?
Where is Otter deployed?
Can you buy Otter?
What are alternatives to Otter?
How does Otter compare to Chang'e Lander?
Is Otter a top space?
What is Otter's maturity stage?
Is Otter safe?
Methodology: Verified · 2 sources (no primary) · last reviewed 2026-07-12
Verification posture
Verified
Low confidence
Review state
Stable
Last reviewed 2026-07-12
Maturity + lifecycle
Maturity stage: pilot
Lifecycle: active
Architectural position
Cohort: space
Sources by quality tier
- 2
- unclassified
- Unclassified source
The framework is documented at /methodology. Corrections at /corrections. Reviewer: DEPLOY editorial team.
Methodology surface for Otter.Recent coverage
Otter in third-party press
Attention vs reality over time
Media mentions per month (area) against verified deployment events (dots). A press spike over a flat deployment line is the hype gap, drawn over time.
In the press
Recent coverage mentioning Otter from third-party publications. Automatically surfaced; not part of the verified registry record.
Starfish Space’s first Otter spacecraft goes into orbit
Starfish Space’s first full-scale Otter satellite servicing vehicle went into orbit today, marking a milestone for the Tukwila, Wash.-based startup. The Otter spacecraft was among…
SpaceX’s rideshare launch kicks off milestone mission for Starfish Space’s first Otter space vehicle
Falcon 9 rocket launches 130 payloads, including Starfish's flagship spacecraft as well as Cowboy Space's first satellite and a NASA astrophysics probe. Read More
Starfish Space’s Debut Otter Vehicle Hitches a Ride on SpaceX’s Transporter-18 Launch
Starfish Space will launch its first Otter satellite servicing vehicle next month aboard SpaceX’s Transporter-18 rideshare mission, the company announced Thursday. Starfish Space…
Starfish Space gets set for debut of flagship spacecraft
Tukwila, Wash.-based Starfish Space is ready for the first launch of its full-size Otter space servicing vehicle, following two orbital tests of scaled-down prototypes. Otter is…
With NASA’s backing, Starfish Space is getting ready for the orbital debut of its flagship Otter spacecraft
All systems go for Starfish's Otter space vehicle, which is designed to inspect inoperable satellites up close for NASA's SSPICY mission. Read More
Machine-readable surfaces
- Markdown mirror: /models/starfish-space-otter.md
- JSON-LD: embedded in this page’s head
- REST API: /v1/models/7ff77b20-4a82-43be-a4fa-11e0d2cd9251
- Revision history: /models/starfish-space-otter/history
- Data documentation: /data
- Query this programmatically: Deploy MCP
Reality vs attention
Otter draws attention at the 73rd percentile but verifies reality at the 16th percentile among space robots. Hype Gap +57.4, 8th widest among space robots.
6-month trend
Analysis
Thin deployment record; scale validation still in progress.
Signal flags
Dimension breakdown
Verified signal
Attention (reach, not merit)
DEPLOY Intelligence scores are computed from verified registry data: confirmed deployments, disclosed funding rounds, regulatory filings, active job listings, video viewership, and press coverage. Confidence ratings reflect data availability. Scores update nightly.
DEPLOY Indices — verified vs claimed
Last computed: Oct 20, 2026