Sherpa-ES
Spaceflight Inc
High-energy chemical OTV with 6× more propellant than Sherpa-LTC, targeting GTO, GEO, MEO, trans-Lunar and cislunar orbits.
Technical specifications
- Vehicle type
- High-energy bi-propellant orbital transfer vehicle
- Port interface
- 24" ESPA standard
- Propulsion system
- Benchmark Space Systems Polaris (bipropellant)
- Propellants
- HTP (oxidizer) + IPA (fuel) — green/nontoxic
- Main thrusters
- 4 × 22 N independently controlled (88 N combined)
- RCS thrusters
- 1 N monopropellant thrusters
- Propellant capacity
- ~6× more than Sherpa-LTC
- Target orbits
- GTO, GEO, MEO, trans-Lunar, low-Lunar, cislunar
About
Sherpa-ES (Escape/High-Energy) is the highest-energy variant in the Sherpa OTV family. It uses the Benchmark Space Systems Polaris bipropellant system with approximately 6× more propellant capacity than Sherpa-LTC, enabling delivery of payloads to high-energy orbits far beyond the initial rideshare drop-off.
Target destinations include GTO, GEO, MEO, trans-Lunar, low-Lunar, and cislunar orbits. The propulsion system features 4 × 22 N main thrusters (88 N combined, independently controlled) and 1 N RCS monopropellant thrusters. Propellants are green/nontoxic: HTP oxidizer and IPA fuel.
Sherpa-ES shares the modular architecture of the Sherpa-NG family, maintaining compatibility with the 24″ ESPA interface. A GEO Pathfinder demonstration mission was planned as the inaugural flight.
Documentation
No public datasheet yet — request the datasheet / ICD from the supplier.
