{"id":"e4eba66b-a307-4b93-9d2d-d1041f26d409","slug":"exotrail-spaceware-nano-otter-pup-anomaly-2023","kind":"malfunction","headline":"Exotrail spaceware-nano thruster anomaly on Starfish Space's Otter Pup satellite ends docking mission","summary":"Starfish Space's Otter Pup satellite, powered by Exotrail's spaceware-nano Hall-effect thruster, experienced a propulsion anomaly after more than 15 cumulative hours of nominal firing. The thruster stopped functioning during a contingency rendezvous mission, forcing Starfish Space to scrub its planned satellite docking demonstration. A joint investigation by Starfish and Exotrail concluded the thruster was no longer operational. Exotrail CEO Jean-Luc Maria noted very cold temperatures outside the thruster's qualification envelope were monitored at the thruster head level. Root cause investigation was ongoing.","occurredAt":"2023-10-15T00:00:00.000Z","reviewStatus":"unreviewed","modelId":"fbb7686d-73a4-467e-99b6-d2e87f2d6c87","deploymentId":null,"companyId":null,"aliases":[],"collisionRisk":"none","reviewNote":null,"severity":"moderate","rootCauseCategory":null,"rootCauseDetail":null,"affectedUnitsCount":null,"affectedUnitsBasis":null,"remediationStatus":null,"regulatoryAction":"none","regulatoryBody":"none","propertyDamageEstimateUsd":null,"damageEstimateBasis":null,"bodilyInjurySeverity":null,"fatalityCount":null,"lossCostClass":null,"sourceQualityTier":null,"oshaRecordable":null,"oshaCaseNumber":null,"rootCauseDisclosed":null,"publicDisclosureDate":null,"insuranceClaimPublic":null,"formFactor":null,"latitude":null,"longitude":null,"autonomyClass":null,"legalOutcomeClass":"unknown","createdAt":"2026-08-08T05:03:40.632Z","updatedAt":"2026-08-08T05:03:40.632Z","model":{"id":"fbb7686d-73a4-467e-99b6-d2e87f2d6c87","companyId":"bff8ac6e-5244-4b3c-bcfe-858f335d517d","modelName":"spacevan","slug":"exotrail-spacevan","description":"Exotrail's spacevan is an autonomous orbital transfer vehicle (OTV) providing last-mile delivery, in-orbit demonstration, and payload hosting services for small satellites. spacevan LEO 001 launched on SpaceX Transporter-9 (November 2023) and successfully deployed the EXO-0 cubesat for Airbus Defense and Space in February 2024. spacevan LEO 002 launched on SpaceX Transporter-16 (March 2026) with six international customers including NASA, Cailabs, and Lunar Outpost. A geostationary version is planned for launch on Ariane 6 in H2 2026.","formFactor":"space","industryVertical":null,"environment":"space","maturityStage":"commercial","lifecycleState":"active","supersededByModelId":null,"specs":{},"manufacturerSerial":null,"reviewStatus":"reviewed","sources":[{"url":"https://www.exotrail.com/blog/exotrail-becomes-a-space-services-provider-with-successful-in-orbit-delivery-of-a-commercial-satellite","title":"Exotrail becomes a space services provider with successful in-orbit delivery","source_name":"Exotrail (company website)","date_accessed":"2026-08-06"},{"url":"https://spacenews.com/exotrail-deploys-first-satellite-from-orbital-transfer-vehicle/","title":"Exotrail deploys first satellite from orbital transfer vehicle","source_name":"SpaceNews","date_accessed":"2026-08-06"},{"url":"https://www.spacex.com/launches/transporter16","title":"SpaceX Transporter-16 (spacevan LEO 002 launch)","source_name":"SpaceX","date_accessed":"2026-08-09"},{"url":"https://www.geekwire.com/2023/starfish-space-scrubs-otter-pup-satellite-rendezvous/","title":"Starfish Space scrubs Otter Pup satellite rendezvous","source_name":"GeekWire","date_accessed":"2026-08-09"}],"aliases":[],"collisionRisk":"low","reviewNote":"Enriched from deployment + incident context. 3 operational deployments (LEO, Vandenberg SFB, LEO-SSO). 1 malfunction incident (Otter Pup thruster anomaly 2023).","manufacturerTermForTeleop":null,"keyFacts":[{"label":"First launch","value":"SpaceX Transporter-9, November 2023 (spacevan LEO 001)"},{"label":"Second launch","value":"SpaceX Transporter-16, March 2026 (spacevan LEO 002)"},{"label":"GEO variant","value":"Planned for Ariane 6, H2 2026"},{"label":"Form factor","value":"Orbital transfer vehicle (OTV)"},{"label":"Customers","value":"Airbus Defense and Space, NASA, Cailabs, Lunar Outpost"}],"createdAt":"2026-08-07T05:00:30.874Z","updatedAt":"2026-08-08T05:51:01.790Z","unitsInFieldClaimed":null,"unitsInFieldVerified":null,"unitsManufacturedClaimed":null,"unitsManufacturedVerified":null,"unitsAsOf":null,"unitsSource":null,"salesModel":null,"priceUndisclosedSince":null,"autonomyClass":null,"autonomyStatement":null,"autonomyStatementSource":null,"demoForensics":null,"exportControlClass":null,"minCommitment":null,"warrantyTerms":null,"serviceModel":null,"productionRateClaimed":null,"productionRateEvidenced":null,"teleopRatioDisclosed":null,"interventionRateDisclosed":null},"deployment":null,"company":null,"derived":{"status":"active"},"sources":[{"id":"63cf68bc-9d7b-4376-b86a-f21a26751847","incidentId":"e4eba66b-a307-4b93-9d2d-d1041f26d409","url":"https://spaceinsider.tech/2023/11/13/otter-pup-mission-update/","label":"Space Insider","publishedAt":null,"notes":null,"title":null,"sourceName":"Space Insider","mediaType":"article","videoId":null,"channel":null,"durationSec":null,"timestampSec":null,"createdAt":"2026-08-08T05:03:40.632Z","updatedAt":"2026-08-08T05:03:40.632Z"},{"id":"32507ec7-a773-47b7-9b23-1322e29c7576","incidentId":"e4eba66b-a307-4b93-9d2d-d1041f26d409","url":"https://www.geekwire.com/2023/starfish-space-scrubs-otter-pup-satellite-rendezvous/","label":"GeekWire","publishedAt":null,"notes":null,"title":null,"sourceName":"GeekWire","mediaType":"article","videoId":null,"channel":null,"durationSec":null,"timestampSec":null,"createdAt":"2026-08-08T05:03:40.632Z","updatedAt":"2026-08-08T05:03:40.632Z"}],"responses":[],"statusEvents":[{"id":"384307a0-e274-4368-a9ee-a101a2031a96","incidentId":"e4eba66b-a307-4b93-9d2d-d1041f26d409","status":"active","reason":null,"source":"agent:recon","effectiveAt":"2026-08-08T05:03:41.788Z","createdAt":"2026-08-08T05:03:41.788Z"}],"jsonLd":{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://registry.deploy.report/incidents/exotrail-spaceware-nano-otter-pup-anomaly-2023","url":"https://registry.deploy.report/incidents/exotrail-spaceware-nano-otter-pup-anomaly-2023","headline":"Exotrail spaceware-nano thruster anomaly on Starfish Space's Otter Pup satellite ends docking mission","description":"Starfish Space's Otter Pup satellite, powered by Exotrail's spaceware-nano Hall-effect thruster, experienced a propulsion anomaly after more than 15 cumulative hours of nominal firing. The thruster stopped functioning during a contingency rendezvous mission, forcing Starfish Space to scrub its planned satellite docking demonstration. A joint investigation by Starfish and Exotrail concluded the thruster was no longer operational. Exotrail CEO Jean-Luc Maria noted very cold temperatures outside the thruster's qualification envelope were monitored at the thruster head level. Root cause investigation was ongoing.","identifier":"e4eba66b-a307-4b93-9d2d-d1041f26d409","datePublished":"2023-10-15T00:00:00.000Z","articleSection":"malfunction","publisher":{"@id":"https://deploy.report/#organization"},"author":{"@id":"https://deploy.report/#organization"}},"framework_metadata":{"framework_schema_version":"0.1.0","verification_status":"unreviewed","maturity_stage":null,"lifecycle_state":null,"architectural_position":{"cohort":null,"sub_cohorts":[]},"within_cohort_verified_vs_claimed_pair":null,"cap_flags":[],"verification_depth":{"sources_count":2,"primary_source_types":[]}}}