Redwire wins $20M DARPA contract for second VLEO demo

What's the deal? Redwire has been awarded a $20 million contract by DARPA under the agency's Otter programme, which funds air-breathing electric propulsion (ABEP) technology for satellites operating at altitudes between 90 km and 250 km. The award funds a second very low Earth orbit (VLEO) demonstration mission, the company announced on 4 November 2026.

Why it matters: ABEP engines collect rarefied air at very low altitudes for use as propellant, potentially letting satellites loiter for long periods in VLEO without heavy fuel loads. DARPA's Otter programme is building towards a new US Department of Defense capability for persistent low-altitude spaceflight, a regime of growing interest as on-orbit competition intensifies.

Read more: Payload Space · FlightGlobal