The first test flight of OSAM-1 is scheduled for launch no earlier than 2026 and will go to low Earth orbit to rendezvous, grapple and dock with Landsat 7, an Earth observing satellite that has been in orbit since 1999. The mission will conduct a first-of-its-kind refueling demonstration test, then relocate the satellite to a new orbit. While some parts of the mission are autonomous, human tele-operators will conduct much of the procedures and maneuvers remotely from Earth.

NASA says that repairing satellites—instead of just letting defunct spacecraft drift in Earth orbit—helps decrease space debris to create a more sustainable future for space exploration. In addition, the test flight will assess on orbit robotic assembly and manufacturing, which many see as technology needed for the future, such as doing maintenance during long-duration human missions in our Solar System and constructing and maintaining structures in orbit of the moon or Mars.

The original idea for a satellite servicing spacecraft is the brainchild of noted NASA engineer Frank Cepollina, who has a history of repairing spacecraft in orbit. He led the teams in charge of planning and choreographing the five servicing missions for the Hubble Space Telescope. He helped design the specialized tools and procedures that astronauts would use to successfully repair and upgrade Hubble, keeping the venerable telescope operating for years longer than projected and allowing better instruments and technology to be installed in each successive mission. He also led teams that developed techniques to repair other satellites during the early days of the Space Shuttle era.