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.
Redwire Corporation landed a $44 million Phase 2 contract from DARPA to manufacture and deliver a VLEO satellite with air breathing electric propulsion technology.
DARPA awarded a $6.7 million contract to Colorado-based Electric Propulsion Laboratory in 2024 to supply the propulsion system for the demonstration mission.
Redwire Corporation has been awarded a $44 million phase 2 contract to advance DARPA's Otter very Low Earth Orbit mission.
Star Catcher surpassed previously established wireless power transmission benchmarks set by DARPA earlier in the year.
The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) awarded Redwire a $44 million phase 2 contract to advance an air-breathing spacecraft in the Otter Very Low Earth Orbit (VLEO) mission.
DARPA announced new programs focused on lunar logistics and autonomy.
Defining standards for regolith processing and exchange would leverage DARPA's strengths in interoperability and pre-commercial R&D.
DARPA's legacy includes creating systems like GPS and ARPANET that became global infrastructure.
DARPA could prototype an Interplanetary Industrial Protocol (IIP) to link lunar assets into a single economic fabric.
DARPA's strength lies in building architectures that enable hardware cooperation rather than just constructing hardware.
ExoTerra's Halo thruster technology is proven aboard DARPA Blackjack ACES spacecraft.
The demonstration by Star Catcher surpassed the previous benchmark set by the U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA).
ExoTerra's Halo thruster has demonstrated performance aboard DARPA's Blackjack ACES spacecraft.
Halo thrusters have been tested through a DARPA program on the Blackjack Aces craft.
The Halo Hall-effect thrusters developed by ExoTerra were successfully demonstrated in 2023 aboard the DARPA Blackjack ACES spacecraft.
Space Development Corporation has achieved 'Awardable' status through the DARPA Expedited Research Implementation Series (ERIS) Marketplace.
Momentus is helping shape the future of orbital innovation through its ongoing work with NASA, DARPA, SpaceWERX, and the Air Force Research Labs.
The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) awarded Safran Federal Systems a contract to develop robust and reliable quantum sensors.
NASA and DARPA set a goal to launch and demonstrate a nuclear thermal engine as soon as 2027 for the DRACO project.
NASA and DARPA partnered on the Demonstration Rocket for Agile Cislunar Operations (DRACO) project in January 2023 to demonstrate nuclear thermal propulsion.