Redwire Wins $20M DARPA Award for VLEO Test
DARPA's Otter program will fly a rapid experiment ahead of a full very low Earth orbit mission run by Redwire.
Updated on Nov. 5, 2026 in Space
DARPA has awarded Redwire a $20 million contract to fly a second very low Earth orbit (VLEO) test for the Otter program. The contract funds a rapid flight experiment that will precede the full Otter mission.
Why it matters
VLEO operations require spacecraft to counter heavy atmospheric drag and withstand atomic oxygen, making propulsion and power design central challenges. Redwire's work for U.S. defense research may help establish the technology needed for sustained operations at these low altitudes.
DARPA's $20 million award follows a $44 million SabreSat contract from last year, and the rapid experiment is targeted for a flight of less than 24 hours in late 2027. The outcome of that test has not yet been reported.
The players
DARPA
The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency is the U.S. Department of Defense unit that funds high-risk, high-reward research, including the Otter program.
Redwire
Redwire is a U.S. space infrastructure company that builds spacecraft and in-space systems and is working on VLEO technology for both U.S. and European programs.
The details
Redwire will use the new funding to fly a rapid experiment ahead of the full Otter mission, which is intended to operate for more than one year. The work builds on a SabreSat spacecraft designed to advance air-breathing propulsion, which harvests ambient low-density air, ionizes it, and accelerates the ion flow.
Timeline
Since 2024: Redwire began working with DARPA on the Otter program.
Last year: Redwire received a $44 million contract to build a SabreSat-based spacecraft.
November 5, 2026: Redwire announced the $20 million second VLEO test award.
Late 2027: The rapid flight experiment is targeted for launch.
Roadmap
The Otter program is a U.S. defense effort to make very low Earth orbit operations practical, a regime where drag is much higher than in standard orbits. Redwire's parallel work with the European Space Agency's Skimsat mission suggests the technology race for VLEO is spanning both sides of the Atlantic.
The rapid experiment and full Otter mission will test propulsion and power systems for very low orbit, which could inform future satellite designs. Readers following space hardware can track the 2027 flight as the first public check on these technologies.
The takeaway
Operating in very low Earth orbit depends on propulsion that can offset heavy atmospheric drag while handling atomic oxygen exposure. The outcome of the upcoming 2027 test will show whether air-breathing propulsion is ready for longer missions.
What happens next
The rapid flight experiment is targeted for a short-duration flight of less than 24 hours in late 2027.
Further reading
Explore more Space coverage for context on orbital technology and missions.
