A groundbreaking mission to advance in-orbit servicing, rendezvous and proximity operations, and space infrastructure development in low Earth orbit.

Momentus Inc., a commercial space firm specializing in satellite solutions and in-space infrastructure, has entered into a Space Act Agreement to deepen its collaboration with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) through a groundbreaking mission set to advance in-orbit servicing and assembly capabilities.

Under this initiative, Momentus will deliver a NASA CubeSat to low Earth orbit (LEO) to demonstrate joint rendezvous and proximity operations (RPO) as well as formation flying. Central to the mission is NASA’s R5 Spacecraft 10 (R5-S10), which will act as a free-flying imager for Momentus’ Vigoride 7 Orbital Service Vehicle (OSV), assessing spacecraft health and performance. The R5-S10 technology demonstration mission is funded and managed by NASA’s Small Spacecraft Technology (SST) program and the Engineering Directorate at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston. The SST program is based at NASA’s Ames Research Center in California’s Silicon Valley and operates in the agency’s Space Technology Mission Directorate. This demonstration marks a critical step in refining In-Space Assembly and Manufacturing (ISAM) capabilities—essential for future autonomous space operations.

A key aspect of this mission is NASA’s support for Momentus in executing the Low-Cost Multispectral RPO Sensor suite (LCMRS) rendezvous demonstration mission, which Momentus has been selected to perform for the Air Force Research Labs SPACEWERX organization, which is the innovation arm of the U.S. Air Force. This cutting-edge sensor system will enhance spacecraft situational awareness and relative navigation—critical for ISAM, autonomous satellite servicing and space debris management.

Additionally, inter-satellite link demonstrations using WiFi-based data transmission will enable the CubeSat to transfer large files to the Vigoride host platform. These files will be downlinked to the Momentus Operations Center and NASA Johnson, demonstrating the viability of real-time space communication for future missions.

R5-S10, alongside several other payloads, will ride aboard Vigoride 7, which is scheduled for launch no earlier than March 2026 via a SpaceX Transporter mission to LEO. Momentus’ Vigoride 7 OSV is fully booked for hosted payloads. This mission highlights the advantages of Momentus’ multi-manifest hosted payload missions. The combination of payloads in-orbit increases the fidelity of all payloads and achieves greater results. By enabling hosted payloads and advanced servicing demonstrations, Momentus continues to play a pivotal role in supporting government and commercial customers in missions ranging from security tracking and scientific exploration to autonomous space operations.

This collaboration between Momentus and NASA will enable advanced cost-effective, scalable, and efficient space servicing solutions. By demonstrating RPO, inter-satellite communication, and formation flying, this mission lays the foundation for a future where spacecraft operate with greater autonomy—ushering in a new era for in-orbit assembly, servicing, and deep-space exploration.

Source: BUSINESS WIRE