• Phase I will take Katalyst's deorbit-as-a-service design through Preliminary Design Review for the Defense Innovation Unit and Space Development Agency
  • A later phase, if exercised, would use NEXUS to rendezvous with, capture and deorbit SDA satellites that were not designed for servicing

The fact

Katalyst Space has been selected by the Defense Innovation Unit for a Deorbit-as-a-Service programme supporting the Space Development Agency. Phase I will develop the mission design through Preliminary Design Review. A second phase, if exercised, would use Katalyst's NEXUS robotic spacecraft to rendezvous with, capture and deorbit SDA satellites that were not originally designed for servicing.

Katalyst says NEXUS is intended to support multiple on-orbit servicing missions rather than require a new spacecraft for each target. The programme will examine how that approach can be applied to spacecraft without purpose-built servicing interfaces. The work remains at the design stage. Katalyst has not disclosed a flight date, target spacecraft or contract value. Any orbital demonstration remains dependent on the programme advancing beyond Phase I.

The assessment

The programme is testing whether satellite disposal can use a common servicing spacecraft rather than a new vehicle developed for each target. NEXUS is intended to support multiple missions, but the spacecraft it may have to remove were not designed with servicing interfaces. Katalyst therefore needs a capture and mission approach that can accommodate different targets without requiring extensive redesign each time.

Phase I only takes that work through Preliminary Design Review. Completing the review would establish how far the design has matured against the government requirement, but it would not demonstrate rendezvous, capture or deorbit in orbit. Those operations remain dependent on DIU proceeding to a flight phase.

For BTW readers, repeatability depends on what Katalyst can reuse from one mission to the next. If each target requires substantial changes to the spacecraft or capture system, deorbiting remains largely mission-specific. Limited adaptation between targets would give NEXUS a stronger basis for operating as a repeatable service.

What to watch

Watch for completion of Preliminary Design Review and whether DIU proceeds to Phase II. Details of the target spacecraft, capture method and flight schedule would clarify how much NEXUS must be adapted for a satellite without servicing interfaces. If the programme reaches orbit, the rendezvous and capture attempt will provide the first direct test of whether the proposed service model can move beyond design work.