Surprise! 2 private spacecraft rendezvous in orbit on newly revealed 'Remora' mission

Imagery from the Starfish Space/Impulse Space Remora mission, during which one Mira spacecraft approached within a mere 4,100 feet (1,250 meters) of another.

Two commercial spacecraft pulled off a surprise rendezvous in Earth orbit recently, showcasing skills that could pave the way for satellite servicing missions down the road.

The milestone came on a mission called Remora, a newly revealed collaboration between the companies Starfish Space and Impulse Space. One of Impulse Space's dishwasher-sized Mira orbital transfer vehicles used Starfish software to get within a mere 4,100 feet (1,250 meters) of another Mira, in a key demonstration of autonomous rendezvous and proximity operations (RPO) tech.