NASA has announced the cancellation of its ambitious On-orbit Servicing, Assembly, and Manufacturing 1 (OSAM-1) project, a pioneering initiative aimed at extending the life of satellites through in-space servicing, including refueling. The decision comes in the wake of escalating costs, significant schedule delays, and shifting priorities within the space community.
Launched with the vision of advancing satellite maintenance and manufacturing capabilities in orbit, the OSAM-1 mission faced mounting challenges that led to its discontinuation. Initially pegged at over $2 billion, the project’s budget swelled beyond its original estimate, with a projected overshoot of its December 2026 launch target.
NASA cited “continued technical, cost, and schedule challenges” as primary factors for halting the project. Additionally, a shift away from the concept of refueling unprepared satellites has resulted in a lack of interest from potential partners, further complicating the mission’s feasibility.
The audit reports highlighted “poor performance” by Maxar, the project’s main contractor, as a significant contributor to the mission’s setbacks. Maxar, which had been instrumental in NASA’s lunar Gateway platform construction, faced criticism for its handling of the OSAM-1 project.
Approximately 450 individuals were engaged with OSAM-1, and NASA has committed to supporting the project’s workforce through the fiscal year 2024. The termination of OSAM-1 marks a setback in NASA’s efforts to pioneer in-orbit satellite servicing and manufacturing, signaling a reevaluation of future projects in this innovative field.
