DARPA Targets Satellite Refurbishment

At present, malfunctioning satellites and those with obsolete payloads are generally relegated to the inventory of space junk circling around the planet. A new project underway by the Defense Advanced Projects Research Agency (DARPA) would enable the repair and refurbishment of such satellites now flying in geosynchronous orbit (22,000 miles). Under the Robotic Servicing of Geosynchronous Satellites program, DARPA would join with industry partners to conduct missions to those satellites and perform the tasks necessary to get them up and running again. If the project proceeds on schedule, missions will begin flying in about five years.