DARPA picks SSL for its servicing satellite contract – and it can be used to demolish satellites as well

by | Feb 10, 2017 | Uncategorised | 0 comments

In spite of a legal bid by Orbital ATK to stop the deal, the US Defence Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) has announced that it has awarded SSL (formerly Space Systems/Loral) a US$15 million contract to provide the bus with a refuelling capability for its first Robotic Servicing of Geosynchronous Satellites (RSGS) mission in 2021 at the earliest. The launch and rendezvous technology including a grappling robot arm system are to be supplied by DARPA.

Comment by David Todd: Critics of the mission, including Orbital ATK, have openly questioned why DARPA is doing this given that civilian and commercial organisations are already working on the technology. While robotic servicing missions are being studied by NASA (below), the fact that DARPA is involved indicates a possible dual use. Yes – it can be used to refuel or replace parts (antennas etc) – a civilian application. But such a spacecraft can also be used to take spacecraft apart – a military use.

NASA on-orbit repair/servicing satellite concept The question however remains: is it economic to do? Courtesy: NASA

NASA on-orbit repair/servicing satellite concept The question however remains: is it economic to do? Courtesy: NASA

 

About Seradata

Seradata produces the renowned Seradata database. Trusted by over 100 of the world’s leading Space organisations, Seradata is a fully queryable database used for market analysis, failure/risk assessment, spectrum analysis and space situational awareness (SSA).

For more information go to https://www.seradata.com/product/

Related Articles

Categories

Archives

Tags

nasaspacexecoreviewsissesaArianespacechinavideoFalcon 9v1.2FT Block 525virgin galacticfalcon 9ULARoscosmosevaspacewalkDGABlue Originaviation weekInternational Space StationRocket LabaresIGTsoyuzBeidouawardsStarlinkAirbus DSboeingspaceSatellite broadcastingrussiamoonOneWebISROCargo Return VehiclemarsblogresearchorionspaceshiptwomarsjaxaimpactEutelsatdelayhyperbolaSESdemocratthales alenia spacegoogle lunar prizerocketlunarhypertextobamalaunchVegatourismconstellationbarack obamafiguresnorthspaceflightIntelsatnode 2fundedElon MuskLockheed MartinRaymond LygoAtlas V2009romeExpress MD-2dassault aviationss2sstl2008wk2aviationLucyradiouksuborbitalVirgin Orbittestmissiledocking portexplorationSLSAriane 5 ECAinternetLong March 2D/2China Manned Space Engineeringsts-122Ariane 5Northrop GrummanElectron2010space tourismgalileoflightnewspapermissile defensecotsspaceportExpress AMU 1Long March 4Cbuildspace stationaltairsoyuz 2-1aProton Minternational astronautical congressshuttlespace shuttleEuropean Space AgencyLauncherOneCosmosIntelsat 23scaled compositesAriane 6rulesnew yorkhanleybudgetatvVietnamshenzhoulaunchesnew shepardInmarsatLong March 2CcnesboldenUK Space AgencycongressMojavelunar landeriacGuiana Space CenterUS Air ForceOrbital ATKkscApollolawsSpace Systems/LoralLong March 4BKuaizhou 1AElectron KSVega CdarpaprotonILSTalulah RileyFalcon 9v1.2 Block 5Space InsuranceNorth KoreaeuSkylonAstriumpicturebaseusaastronautdragonlanderfiveeventTelesatEchostarSSLAprilSNC50thinterviewfalconSea LaunchLong MarchWednesdayViasat

Stay Informed with Seradata

Stay informed on the latest news, insights, and more from Seradata by signing up for our newsletter.