Aug 22, 2016
DARPA to establish satellite-servicing consortium to discuss on-orbit repair standards
Posted by Karen Hurst in categories: government, robotics/AI, satellites
A first step in establishing repair standards on satellite in space; wonder could we eventually see a version of the EPA or in space.
SAN FRANCISCO — The U.S. Defense Research Projects Agency plans to establish a consortium to discuss standards and practices for on-orbit satellite servicing as a corollary to Robotic Servicing of Geostationary Satellites (RSGS), an effort to develop robotic spacecraft to inspect, repair and move other satellites.
“Our fear was that we would create a robotic servicing capability through RSGS and when our industry partner went to Lloyds of London for insurance, someone would say, ‘You have no authority to conduct that mission,’” said Brad Tousley, director of DARPA’s Tactical Technology Office.