内容来源：https://www.geekwire.com/2026/starfish-space-54-5m-space-force/

内容总结：

美国太空军太空系统司令部近日与总部位于华盛顿州塔克维拉的Starfish Space公司签署了一份价值5450万美元的合同，用于制造新一代“水獭”卫星服务航天器。该合同通过五角大楼“加速采购与部署创新技术”（APFIT）计划资助，是当前周期内唯一授予航天企业的APFIT合同，也是该计划历史上金额最大的合同之一。

此次合作基于2024年通过空军“战略资金增长”（STRATFI）项目授予的3750万美元合同进一步拓展。公司联合创始人奥斯汀·林克表示，这项合同标志着“水獭”平台从研发转向实战部署的关键一步，将通过动态空间操作与自主增强机动能力，助力太空军维护关键太空资产、提升系统韧性并保持任务灵活性。

根据合同，Starfish Space将于2028年前交付专为地球同步轨道动态操作设计的“水獭”航天器，并可选择提供两年运营支持。该航天器具备自主检测与对接能力，可对非在轨维护设计的卫星进行延寿、轨道提升或安全离轨处置。值得注意的是，该公司上月刚获得太空军太空发展管理局5250万美元的卫星离轨服务合同。

目前，该公司去年发射的“幼獭2号”原型机正在开展轨道测试，三台全尺寸“水獭”航天器也进入发射准备阶段，分别服务于太空系统司令部、SES卫星公司的机动演示任务以及NASA资助的卫星检测项目。这家由蓝色起源前工程师于2019年创立的公司，在2024年完成2900万美元融资后，已累计获得约5000万美元资金支持。

中文翻译：

总部位于华盛顿州塔克维拉的Starfish Space公司近日获得一份价值5450万美元的合同，将为美国太空军太空系统司令部建造另一艘"水獭"卫星服务航天器。

本周公布的这份合同建立在2024年签署的3750万美元协议基础之上，此前合同通过空军部战略资金增长计划（STRATFI）授予。本次新合同资金来自五角大楼"加速创新技术采购与部署计划"（APFIT）。

Starfish公司特别指出，这是本轮APFIT计划中唯一授予航天企业的合同，也是该计划历史上金额最大的合同之一。

公司联合创始人奥斯汀·林克表示："我们很自豪能在APFIT计划下深化与太空军的合作关系。"他在新闻稿中强调："APFIT是将'水獭'这类平台从研发转向实战部署的关键计划。通过动态太空操作和自主增强机动能力，我们将助力太空军维护关键太空资产、增强系统韧性，并在不断变化的任务需求中保持作战灵活性。"

与早期合同类似，新合同要求Starfish公司提供用于地球同步轨道动态太空操作的"水獭"航天器，计划于2028年交付，并包含为期两年的运行支持选项。

"水獭"专为自主检测与对接设计，即使卫星最初未预设在轨调整功能，也能提供维护服务。该航天器可将卫星推升至更高轨道以延长寿命，也能将其移入低轨道进行安全处置。就在上个月，Starfish刚获得太空军太空发展局价值5250万美元的军用卫星处置合同。

去年发射的"幼獭2号"原型机已开展轨道测试。目前三艘全尺寸"水獭"航天器正待发射：一艘服务于太空系统司令部，一艘用于SES卫星公司资助的卫星机动演示，另一艘将执行NASA资助的卫星检测任务。

Starfish Space由林克与特雷弗·贝内特于2019年联合创立，二人此前均是杰夫·贝索斯蓝色起源太空公司的工程师。2024年，该公司宣布完成2900万美元融资，使首批三艘"水獭"航天器的研发得以收官。当时Starfish透露，其累计融资总额已达约5000万美元。

英文来源：

Tukwila, Wash.-based Starfish Space has been awarded a $54.5 million contract to produce another Otter satellite servicing spacecraft for the U.S. Space Force’s Space Systems Command.
The deal, announced this week, builds on a $37.5 million Space Systems Command contract that was awarded in 2024 through the Department of the Air Force’s Strategic Funding Increase program, or STRATFI. This new contract is funded through a Pentagon program called Accelerate the Procurement and Fielding of Innovative Technologies, or APFIT.
Starfish noted that the award is the only APFIT contract issued to a space company in the current cycle and ranks among the largest in the program’s history.
Austin Link, co-founder of Starfish Space, said his company was “proud to grow our partnership with the Space Force under the APFIT program.”
“APFIT is a key program in transitioning platforms like Otter from development to deployed capability,” Link said today in a news release. “Through dynamic space operations and autonomous augmented maneuver, we enable the Space Force to sustain critical space assets, increase resilience and maintain operational flexibility across evolving mission demands.”
Like the earlier contract, the new one calls on Starfish to provide an Otter spacecraft for dynamic space operations in geosynchronous Earth orbit. Delivery is scheduled for 2028, with an option for two years of operational support.
Designed for autonomous inspection and docking, the Otter will be capable of servicing satellites even if they weren’t originally built for on-orbit adjustments. Otter would be able to move satellites into higher orbits to extend their lives, or nudge them into lower orbits for safe disposal. Just last month, Starfish secured a separate $52.5 million contract from the Space Force’s Space Development Agency for military satellite disposal.
A prototype called Otter Pup 2 was launched last year and has been undergoing orbital tests. Three full-scale Otters are currently being readied for launch — one for the Space Systems Command, one for a satellite maneuvering demonstration funded by the SES satellite company, and one for a NASA-funded satellite inspection mission.
Starfish Space was founded in 2019 by Link and Trevor Bennett, both former engineers at Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin space venture. In 2024, Starfish reported raising $29 million in an investment round that enabled the company to complete the development of the first three Otters. At the time, Starfish said its total cumulative funding amounted to about $50 million.