Starfish Space raises $14m for ‘space tug’
March 10, 2023
By Chris Forrester
A Seattle-based space technology business, started by two former Blue Origin (the Jeff Bezos-owned rocket company) staffers have raised $14 million in initial funding to develop spacecraft capable of rescuing orbiting satellites.
Starship Space is the business and Austin Link, who co-founded the company in 2019 with fellow Blue Origin staffer Trevor Bennett. The company says it has now attracted $21 million in funding.
New cash has come from Munich Re Ventures (MRV), with additional funding from Toyota Ventures and with previous investors including PSL Ventures, NFX and MaC VC. “MRV is excited to back this talented team of engineers, scientists and operators as they aim to open up the in-space economy,” commented Peter Ortez, a principal at Munich Re Ventures.
Link said the fresh funding will go toward completing the development of the Otter Pup, a prototype satellite servicing vehicle that’s about the size of a microwave oven, as well as the larger Otter spacecraft. A key priority is to hire new staff.
The plan is to see the Otter Pup this summer as part of a SpaceX ‘rideshare’ multiple payload mission.