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U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA)

US
gov defenseFounded 1958
United States
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All verified mentions of this organization in source documents.

The processing elements that achieved TRL 9 on Mandrake 1 are building blocks for DARPA’s Pitboss and future Battle Management Command, Control, and Communication systems.

Mentioned as: U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA)Narrative GeneralJun 12, 2022SEAKR Engineering successfully demos optical communications on DARPA’s Mandrake 2 satellites

Under DARPA’s Blackjack project, two Mandrake 2 spacecraft were launched to demonstrate advanced laser communications.

Mentioned as: U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA)Narrative GeneralJun 12, 2022SEAKR Engineering successfully demos optical communications on DARPA’s Mandrake 2 satellites

CACI International Inc. partnered with DARPA and the Space Development Agency on the Mandrake II program to demonstrate space-to-space optical communications links in LEO.

Mentioned as: DARPAOrg RelationshipMay 18, 2022Optical Intersatellite Links In LEO Successfully Demo’d By CACI International In Partnership With DARPA + SDA + AFRL/RV

Space-to-space optical communications is a critical technology for DARPA's Blackjack constellation and for the Space Development Agency's planned mesh network of small satellites in low Earth orbit.

Mentioned as: DARPATechnical ProductMay 17, 2022Military experiment demonstrates intersatellite laser communications in low Earth orbit

Two small satellites launched by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency in summer 2024 established an optical link on 2022-04-14 during a nearly 40-minute test.

Mentioned as: U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA)Org RelationshipMay 17, 2022Military experiment demonstrates intersatellite laser communications in low Earth orbit

DARPA plans to launch the DRACO nuclear thermal propulsion demonstration in 2025.

Mentioned as: U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA)Org RelationshipMay 17, 2022DIU selects nuclear-powered spacecraft designs for 2027 demonstrations

CACI International Inc. was awarded a $20,400,000 contract to provide technology, research, development, and innovation in support of the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency Mission-Integrated Network Control program.

Mentioned as: U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA)Org RelationshipMay 13, 2022CACI Awarded DARPA Contract For Mission Software Development

DARPA is seeking proposals for Phases 2 and 3 of the Demonstration Rocket for Agile Cislunar Operations (DRACO) program for the design, development, fabrication, and assembly of a nuclear thermal rocket engine.

Mentioned as: U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA)Org RelationshipMay 8, 2022DARPA Seeks Proposals For The DRACO Nuclear-Thermal Rocket In-Space Flight Demo

The Demonstration Rocket for Agile Cislunar Operations (DRACO) project started over a year ago when DARPA selected a preliminary design for a rocket engine reactor developed by General Atomics and chose two conceptual spacecraft designs by Blue Origin and Lockheed Martin.

Mentioned as: DARPAOrg RelationshipMay 4, 2022DARPA moving forward with development of nuclear powered spacecraft

The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency issued a solicitation for proposals for the next phase of a demonstration of a nuclear powered spacecraft on 2022-05-04.

Mentioned as: U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA)Org RelationshipMay 4, 2022DARPA moving forward with development of nuclear powered spacecraft

Telesat has a study contract with the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency for the Blackjack program that involves two spacecraft slated to launch in October to low Earth orbit at roughly the same altitude as Telesat’s planned Lightspeed network.

Mentioned as: Defense Advanced Research Projects AgencyOrg RelationshipApr 4, 2022Telesat gets security clearance to serve US government directly

Bill Carter, NOM4D program manager in DARPA’s Defense Sciences Office, expects that advances in the next 10 to 20 years will enable the Department of Defense to take full advantage of NOM4D-developed technologies and capabilities.

Mentioned as: U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA)Narrative GeneralMar 24, 2022Space-Based Manufacturing To Be Explored Via DARPA’s New NOM4D Program

The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency has advocated shifting Department of Defense capabilities to low Earth orbit and larger constellations because very large, exquisite satellites cost more and take longer to build and launch.

Mentioned as: Defense Advanced Research Projects AgencyTechnical ProductMar 22, 2022On National Security | DoD’s internet-in-space a win for commercial space

While at DARPA from 2017 to 2019, Fred Kennedy started the agency’s nuclear space propulsion program known as DRACO, short for Demonstration Rocket for Agile Cislunar Operations.

Mentioned as: DARPATechnical ProductMar 22, 2022Former Momentus executive Fred Kennedy to lead startup focused on nuclear-powered rocket engines

DARPA signed an agreement with Northrop Grumman in 2020 allowing Northrop Grumman to use the robotic payload on the MRV in exchange for access to technology demonstrations and program data.

Mentioned as: U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA)Narrative GeneralFeb 21, 2022Northrop Grumman to launch new satellite-servicing mission in 2024

PredaSAR won a $2,000,000 contract from the U.S. Space Force in December to demonstrate interoperability between its satellites and DARPA’s Blackjack constellation.

Mentioned as: U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA)Org RelationshipFeb 17, 2022Terran Orbital touts military and defense contracts ahead of going public

The DARPA contract involving Phase Four was announced on 2022-02-16.

Mentioned as: U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA)Org RelationshipFeb 16, 2022Phase Four wins DARPA contract to test novel propellant

The Space Development Agency took over the experiment originally developed for DARPA and renamed it POET.

Mentioned as: U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA)Narrative GeneralFeb 8, 2022Space Development Agency experiment demonstrates on-orbit data processing

CACI will deliver 40 optical communications terminals for DARPA’s Blackjack satellites over the next several months.

Mentioned as: DARPATechnical ProductJan 30, 2022CACI ramping up production of optical terminals for low Earth orbit satellites

The first batch of DARPA’s optical terminals will be delivered this summer for integration with Blackjack satellite buses made by Blue Canyon Technologies and to be ready to launch this fall.

Mentioned as: U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA)Org RelationshipJan 30, 2022CACI ramping up production of optical terminals for low Earth orbit satellites
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