Project Theseus: Orbital Infrastructure Outfitting enabled by a Universal OSAM Connector for Cost-Effective In-Space Assembly

Starfish Space is building a future where autonomous robotic interaction in space is ubiquitous, enabling a thriving in-space community. An underlying capability critical to these missions is the ability to perform robotic assembly and construction by installing modular components that seamlessly interface to transfer and route power, data, fluids, and more. Starfish Space proposes a Phase I effort to identify an orbital assembly and outfitting mission of interest to NASA, characterize the mission’s corresponding Concept of Operations, perform a cost analysis of such a mission with and without OSAM services, and develop and test a functional prototype of a universal OSAM connector to enable the mission with a focus on assured connection, repeatability, and reliability. The innovations proposed here will dramatically boost NASA and industry’s ability to upgrade and outfit in-space infrastructure as needed – a key element in meeting NASA’s exploration objectives. Imagine a world in which autonomous robotic agents assemble and outfit ambitious structures in space by installing functional modules thanks to universal OSAM connectors prototyped in this work plan. Specifically, multiple commercial satellite operators have experienced hardware anomalies in recent years that could be solved by the type of modular hardware architectures and capabilities for in-orbit interaction that Starfish proposes to develop the groundwork for in this effort. In each case, the OSAM connector proposed for development in this Phase 1 would be a critical element of the mission. For commercial operators, Otter offers a cost-effective way to earn years of additional revenue at a fraction of the cost of building and launching a replacement satellite. Operators find this flexibility very valuable – and in the future, they could drive that cost down even further by upgrading individual subsystems from propulsion to the revenue payload.

Imagine a world in which autonomous robotic agents assemble and outfit ambitious structures in space by installing functional modules thanks to universal OSAM connectors prototyped in this work plan. Today, completely replacing high-value assets after unplanned failures poses high capital costs. To begin deploying capabilities in an ordered, logical manner, NASA requires a tightly-defined mission and associated Concept of Operations that a commercial provider can solve in the near term. This mission definition will ensure Starfish spends NASA’s SBIR resources wisely by framing the scope of work and establishing rational bounds on the Phase 1 effort. To incentivize rational economic adoption of OSAM services, commercial providers like must demonstrate that ROI for customer organizations such as NASA is significant enough. By quantifying the value that OSAM services will add to missions, Starfish Space will provide evidence of the economic efficiency that OSAM activities add to exploration and scientific missions. This data will be critical for inspiring the type of broad adoption necessary to build NASA’s envisioned future paradigm: one where OSAM operations such as robotic assembly, servicing, upgrades, and repairs are commonplace and well-integrated. By prototyping and testing an OSAM connector for the defined mission, Starfish will translate the mission study’s findings into a tangible product in the real world. With the outcomes of the proposed testing, Starfish will bridge critical gaps in in-space infrastructure assembly and outfitting capabilities, resulting in practical knowledge of the areas of excellence/performance, that serve as grounding for rational recommendations of areas for continued development in Phase II. Since the dawn of the space age, every satellite ever constructed has limited by its hardware’s lifespan and performance as designed and assembled on the ground, becoming outdated as soon as they launch. Even the International Space Station, assembled in massive chunks by astronauts, was constructed at immense risk and expense. In both cases, these designs are rigid and at odds with additional outfitting for changing needs or upgrades. Today’s in-space construction paradigms simply will not scale to building the future of exploration in our solar system. However, if innovators in the US develop an affordable, modular solution for robotically outfitting upgradeable components and payloads onto structures on orbit, NASA can unlock an entirely novel future of advanced missions and in-space assembly. The first step in this journey is development of a universal OSAM port for an affordable, high-value mission. Commercial satellite developers have expressed interest this modular systems design approach noting that it will enable additional value via advanced OSAM services. Specifically, multiple commercial satellite operators have experienced hardware anomalies in recent years that could be solved by the type of modular hardware architectures and capabilities for in-orbit interaction that Starfish proposes to develop in the future of *Project Theseus*. In each case, the OSAM connector proposed for development here would be a critical element of the mission. While the OSAM interface described here will initially address NASA’s assembly and outfitting needs, Starfish intends to fully develop *Project Theseus* into a solution for modular architectures in satellite design – enabling full subsystem replacement on orbit.

This is a mature technology (TRL 7+) — the realistic path in is usually NASA's Technology Transfer Program: licensing an existing NASA patent, or a Space Act Agreement to use NASA facilities/expertise directly. NASA also runs a startup licensing program with no upfront fee for companies formed to commercialize a specific NASA technology.

None of these are guaranteed paths for this specific project — TechPort itself doesn't have an "apply" button. Reaching out to the contact(s) above with a specific question is usually the fastest way to find out what's actually open.