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.
Rocket Lab launched an experimental satellite for the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency on 2019-03-28.
Under the 2017 agreement DARPA, working with the Naval Research Laboratory, would provide the satellite servicing payload and Maxar would integrate that payload on one of its satellite buses.
DARPA issued a request for information on 2019-02-06 seeking input on potential alternative ways of flying the RSGS mission.
Maxar’s Space Systems Loral business unit had been working with DARPA on the RSGS program under a public-private partnership finalized in 2017.
DARPA’s request for information sought information on spacecraft buses with GEO heritage that could carry the RSGS payload, mission operations for servicing government and commercial satellites, and business models for the RSGS mission.
Nuvotronics developed PolyStrata, a patented microfabrication process created with the U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency that enables lower-cost production of radio frequency components.
Maxar terminated its agreement with DARPA on the Robotic Servicing of Geosynchronous Satellites (RSGS) program on 2019-01-30.
Fred Kennedy led a joint DARPA–NASA project called Orbital Express in 2007 that demonstrated semi-autonomous satellite servicing by transferring fuel and a new battery to another spacecraft.
Fred Kennedy has led DARPA’s Tactical Technology Office since September 2017 after being promoted from deputy director.
Fred Kennedy worked at DARPA from 2005 to 2008 as a program manager during his earlier tenure at the agency.
SSL is using an approach for hosting S5 on Nusantara Satu that was honed during a DARPA experiment that carried a smallsat aboard Hispasat-30W-6.
The Beresheet lander and the Air Force Research Laboratory smallsat are riding onboard Nusantara Satu and will separate from the satellite using techniques SSL developed as part of DARPA’s Payload Orbital Delivery System experiment.
SSL deployed a previously unpublicized DARPA smallsat from Hispasat 30W-6 using the PODS system in the prior year.
Maxar cited the need to concentrate capital on WorldView Legion when it cancelled a satellite-servicing spacecraft it was co-developing with DARPA.
The Space Rapid Capabilities Office’s projects include small satellites and collaboration with DARPA’s Blackjack program to deploy a proliferated constellation in low Earth orbit and demonstrate a mesh network.
DARPA awarded SSL a $15,000,000 contract for RSGS.
Under an Other Transaction Agreement, DARPA tasked Space Systems Loral with providing the spacecraft bus for RSGS, integrating the servicer with a launch vehicle, and providing operations staff for the lifetime of the mission.
Maxar Technologies’ Space Systems Loral terminated an agreement to build DARPA’s Robotic Servicing of Geosynchronous Satellites spacecraft on 2019-01-30.
DARPA launched the RSGS program in 2016.
DARPA selected SSL as its commercial partner for RSGS in 2017 under an Other Transaction Authority agreement.