It’s no secret we’re big fans of orbital transfer vehicles (OTVs). They are the workhorses that are taking smallsats to precise orbital destinations and are building the growing infrastructure of space. We think they are going to play an even bigger role in the developing space economy. 

We’re happy to share a recent BryceTech report that lays out the role OTV’s play in space transportation, along with the benefits, how and why they’re used, and more.

A quick look also shows that launches of these vehicles have increased steadily over the past few years, with 5 of our experimental Sherpa vehicles (4 different variations) launching with 100% deployment success and the most options available to suit a wide range of customer needs. We have variants that are well suited for hosted payloads, and versions with electric or chemical propulsion to deliver customer spacecraft exactly where they want to go, including to GEO and Cislunar orbits. 

The infographic also identifies many of the applications of OTVs, from refueling to situational awareness and the removal of orbital debris, but we expect even more to emerge as the burgeoning space infrastructure continues to evolve. We’re proud of the fact that we have the most flight heritage in the industry when it comes to these space workhorses and have secured many future rides on launch vehicles around the globe. 

This is just the beginning!