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Redwire Wins $20M DARPA Contract for Second VLEO Demo
Publication: Payload
Author: Douglas Gorman
Source published: 05/11/2026, 00:34:48 UTC
Briefing created: 05/11/2026, 13:47:48 UTC
Based on a feed excerpt; full article content has not been acquired. Source evidence retrieved 05/11/2026, 13:35:25 UTC.
Briefings
Redwire secured a $20M DARPA contract for a second VLEO (very low Earth orbit) demo mission under the Otter program, targeting a late 2027 launch. The contract funds a scaled-down precursor mission on the SabreSat spacecraft to test critical air-breathing technology. Redwire also reported Q3 2026 earnings with a 5.4% revenue increase, 32.3% gross margins, and a $18M net loss decrease, ending the quarter with a record $538.9M liquidity. The mission aims to gather data for ground-replacement testing before the full Otter mission, while Redwire continues work on ESA's Skimsat mission targeting a 2027 first flight.
Key points
- Redwire received a $20M DARPA contract for a second VLEO demo mission under the Otter program, with the precursor mission scheduled for late 2027.
- Redwire's Q3 2026 earnings showed a 5.4% revenue increase, 32.3% gross margins, and a $18M decrease in net loss, ending the quarter with a record $538.9M liquidity.
Context
Redwire won a $20M DARPA contract for a second VLEO demo mission under the Otter program, which funds air-breathing electric propulsion tech for DoD satellites flying between 90 km and 250 km altitude. The mission targets a late 2027 launch to test critical air-breathing technology before the full Otter mission. Redwire also continues work on ESA's Skimsat mission targeting a 2027 first flight.
Limitations
DARPA has not released a specific date for the full-scale Otter mission. The precursor mission will fly for less than a day in VLEO to gather data that cannot be fully recreated on the ground. The full Otter mission's specific launch date remains unknown.
Generated by Bittrees-hosted qwen35-2b sha256:aaf42c8b7c3c on 05/11/2026, 13:47:48 UTC. Based on publisher-provided feed evidence; may not cover the full original article. Check the source for details.
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