"NASA Scraps Multibillion-Dollar Satellite Servicing Mission Due to Contractor Issues"
Originally Published 1 year ago — by Ars Technica
NASA cancels the OSAM-1 mission, a multibillion-dollar project aimed at demonstrating robotic satellite servicing technology, due to continued technical, cost, and schedule challenges. The mission's cost has ballooned to $1.5 billion, with projections of nearly $1 billion more needed for launch. Originally planned for a 2020 launch, the mission faced delays and cost increases, and the addition of the Space Infrastructure Dexterous Robot (SPIDER) further complicated matters. The realities of the satellite servicing market have also shifted, with commercial companies focusing on alternative methods for extending satellite life, leading to NASA's decision to cancel the project.