Polaris Intelligence
Polaris
Intelligence
AboutNational IntelligenceOrganizationsProductsMissionsSpacecraftConstellationsForecastsLatest Information
Explore
© Polaris Intelligence 2026Admin

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

US
gov defenseFounded 1958
United States
Admin Edit

All verified mentions of this organization in source documents.

Before leading the Space Development Agency, Fred Kennedy was the director of DARPA’s Tactical Technology Office.

Mentioned as: DARPAOrg RelationshipJun 21, 2019Kennedy out as head of the Space Development Agency

Fred Kennedy had been serving on a detail from DARPA while serving as director of the Space Development Agency.

Mentioned as: DARPAOrg RelationshipJun 21, 2019Kennedy out as head of the Space Development Agency

The Phantom Express experimental spaceplane is being developed for DARPA and may launch from the Kennedy Space Center.

Mentioned as: DARPATechnical ProductJun 19, 2019Boeing to move space headquarters to Florida

A stealth company was one of three firms that qualified for DARPA’s Launch Challenge competition in April 2019.

Mentioned as: U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA)Narrative GeneralJun 10, 2019Why the secrecy? Stealth space startups spending years in the shadows

DARPA’s Launch Challenge offered a $10,000,000 grand prize.

Mentioned as: darpaTechnical ProductJun 10, 2019Why the secrecy? Stealth space startups spending years in the shadows

DARPA awarded a $400,000 prize to each of the three competitors in its Launch Challenge.

Mentioned as: U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA)Narrative FinancialJun 10, 2019Why the secrecy? Stealth space startups spending years in the shadows

The Department of Defense, the Space Development Agency, and DARPA must provide a report by 2020-02-15 detailing progress on a proliferated LEO architecture and how it could enhance resilience and integrate into national security space strategy and architecture.

Mentioned as: U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA)Org RelationshipJun 3, 2019Space policy provisions but no Space Force language in HASC subcommittee bill

The committee directs the Secretary of Defense to brief the committee by 2019-12-01 on progress with DARPA’s Blackjack and any related programs developing a proliferated global LEO constellation.

Mentioned as: U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA)Narrative GeneralJun 3, 2019Space policy provisions but no Space Force language in HASC subcommittee bill

The Space Development Agency was stood up on 2019-03-12 and is led by former DARPA official Fred Kennedy.

Mentioned as: darpaNarrative GeneralMay 28, 2019Shanahan: To beat China we need Space Force, Space Command, Space Development Agency

Tethers Unlimited is targeting the small satellite market in low Earth orbit for LEO Knight, focusing on spacecraft too small to be economically serviced by robotic spacecraft developed under DARPA’s Robotic Servicing of Geosynchronous Satellites (RSGS) program.

Mentioned as: DARPAOrg RelationshipMay 21, 2019Tethers Unlimited developing satellite servicer for LEO missions

The STP-4 mission was originally scheduled for April 2021 to launch DARPA’s Robotic Servicing of Geosynchronous Satellites vehicle.

Mentioned as: U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA)Narrative GeneralMay 15, 2019Air Force space launch funds reprogrammed to pay for Trump’s border wall

Airbus received a $2,900,000 contract from DARPA last fall to produce satellite buses for DARPA’s Blackjack program.

Mentioned as: U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA)Org RelationshipMay 6, 2019Airbus eyes opportunities in future U.S. military LEO constellations

The DARPA contract has provided Airbus with experience working on U.S. defense programs and serves as a stepping stone to other potential projects.

Mentioned as: DARPAOrg RelationshipMay 6, 2019Airbus eyes opportunities in future U.S. military LEO constellations

Blackjack will remain a joint DARPA and U.S. Air Force program while the Space Development Agency develops a larger proliferated LEO architecture for operational use.

Mentioned as: DARPATechnical ProductMay 1, 2019Air Force unmanned aircraft developer Mike Leahy tapped to replace Fred Kennedy at DARPA

Northrop Grumman built the R3D2 satellite for DARPA that launched on 2019-03-28 on a Rocket Lab Electron rocket to demonstrate deployment of a large antenna from a small satellite.

Mentioned as: U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA)Org RelationshipApr 24, 2019Northrop Grumman highlights benefits of Orbital ATK acquisition

Fred Kennedy, director of DARPA’s Tactical Technology Office and mastermind of DARPA’s Blackjack program, was selected to lead the Space Development Agency.

Mentioned as: DARPAOrg RelationshipApr 21, 2019Space Development Agency a huge win for Griffin in his war against the status quo

As part of the DARPA Launch Challenge, the three companies will first attempt to launch payloads into orbit in January or February 2020.

Mentioned as: U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA)Narrative PlanApr 10, 2019Three companies selected for DARPA Launch Challenge

Each company that places a payload into orbit during the first launch of the DARPA Launch Challenge will receive $2,000,000 and must perform a second launch from a different site on short notice.

Mentioned as: U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA)Org RelationshipApr 10, 2019Three companies selected for DARPA Launch Challenge

Fred Kennedy previously led DARPA’s Blackjack effort to buy small satellites from the same vendors supplying megaconstellations like OneWeb.

Mentioned as: DARPAOrg RelationshipApr 10, 2019Space Development Agency aims to issue first RFI this summer

Each of the three qualifying companies received $400,000 from DARPA.

Mentioned as: U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA)Narrative FinancialApr 10, 2019Three companies selected for DARPA Launch Challenge
Page26of31