The U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) is a research and development agency within the U.S. Department of Defense, responsible for creating breakthrough technologies for national security. While not a space agency, DARPA initiates and manages high-risk, high-payoff projects relevant to space, including satellite constellations, space-based surveillance tech, lunar habitats, and advanced propulsion systems like nuclear thermal rockets. DARPA partners with various organizations, including NASA, U.S. Space Force, Lockheed Martin, SpaceX, and BAE Systems, to achieve its goals. Keywords associated with DARPA's space activities include space superiority, space-based weaponry, advanced materials, and autonomous systems.
All verified mentions of this organization in source documents.
DARPA stated that the first launch of the DARPA Launch Challenge is planned for February 2020 with the second launch planned for one month later.
DARPA is offering a $2,000,000 prize for completing the first launch of the DARPA Launch Challenge and a $10,000,000 prize for completing the second launch.
The DARPA Launch Challenge requires the stealth company to conduct two launches weeks apart from two different launch sites with 30 days notice of which spaceport will be first.
Fred Kennedy said he retired from DARPA on 2019-08-09 and was retired from the military in 2016.
Fred Kennedy formerly directed DARPA’s Tactical Technology Office prior to taking the helm at the Space Development Agency.
The Space Development Agency plans to buy satellite buses directly from commercial vendors or use buses that DARPA is acquiring for the Blackjack program.
The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency awarded BAE Systems the second phase of an existing $12,800,000 contract to develop digital tools for space command and control.
RSGS started in 2016 as a public-private teaming arrangement where DARPA would provide the satellite-servicing robot and a commercial partner would build the satellite and on-orbit servicing vehicle.
Under the previous RSGS effort, DARPA had agreed to arrange the launch through the Air Force in 2021.
DARPA recast the program as a commercial venture and renamed it RSGS in 2013.
DARPA estimates about 250 GEO satellites are candidate clients for RSGS services and 80 of those are owned by the U.S. government.
Initial plans to develop a robotic satellite servicing vehicle were conceived shortly after Tony Tether became DARPA director in 2001.
An industry analyst estimated that over the past three years DARPA has invested more than $200,000,000 in the RSGS program.
Airbus won a contract from DARPA in January for the Blackjack program to examine how commercial smallsat constellations could be used for military applications.
Rocket Lab’s Electron launched DARPA’s R3D2 satellite in March 2019.
Chris Shank, head of the Strategic Capabilities Office, left DoD after a decision to merge the SCO with DARPA.
Before leading the Space Development Agency, Fred Kennedy was the director of DARPA’s Tactical Technology Office.
Fred Kennedy had been serving on a detail from DARPA while serving as director of the Space Development Agency.
The Phantom Express experimental spaceplane is being developed for DARPA and may launch from the Kennedy Space Center.
DARPA awarded a $400,000 prize to each of the three competitors in its Launch Challenge.