DIU, SDA Select Winners for Deorbit-as-a-Service Designs

The U.S. military is investing in orbital logistics. Per Payload, the Space Development Agency and Defense Innovation Unit selected three companies—Firefly Aerospace, D-Orbit, and Katalyst Space—to design deorbit-as-a-service systems, awarding eight point four million dollars combined for the initial design phase. These systems would provide the government with flexible, on-demand access to satellite rendezvous, capture, and deorbit capabilities. But the companies see broader opportunity: validating a commercial space-logistics market. D-Orbit's CEO told Payload that if the program succeeds, commercial satellite operators would feel confident designing for high reliability, knowing deorbit services can handle end-of-life removal. Each company now enters preliminary design review, with potential on-orbit demonstrations pending technical evaluation.

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