Optimus Viper
A 200 kg rapid-response spacecraft built to fly within 10 km of other satellites, inspect them and act as a "space first responder" for defense and commercial operators.
Why it matters
Militaries and satellite owners want to see what is happening near their assets, but close-up inspection has been costly. Space Machines quotes $2-3M per inspection in low Earth orbit and plans to build 20 or more Vipers a year.
How the technology works
Viper evolves the company's first Optimus vehicle, which flew on a Falcon 9 in 2024. The company lists more than 500 m/s of delta-v and operations from low Earth orbit through GEO and the xGEO region beyond it, with its Solstice OS software planning missions and an operator approving responses.
Sources
Updated Oct 22, 2026 · How we source facts · Suggest a correction