The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency hopes to reduce the cost and shorten the deployment-time of defense communication systems with a new plan to repurpose the valuable components in retired, non-operating satellites. And according to a broad agency announcement posted to FedBizOpps.gov Dec. 22, DARPA plans to spend approximately $36 million in contracting dollars in order to do so.

DARPA envisions launching nano-satellites, a new class of small ‘satlets,' that will latch onto the antenna of retired satellites, essentially creating a new space system. In order to deliver satlets to orbit economically, DARPA says they would travel in payload orbital delivery system, or PODS, that can "ride along" on a commercial satellite launch.

"The tender plans to be equipped with grasping mechanical arms for removing the Satlets and components from the PODS using unique robotic tools to be developed in the program," says DARPA.

According to the presolicitation, space is a rich salvage yard: "With over 1,300 satellites launched to [geosynchronous orbit] since the 1960's, it estimated over $300B worth of hardware and approximately 20,000 kg of apertures are in the GEO belt today."

Development will culminate with an on-orbit demonstration of at least one successful aperture repurposing by 2015 or 2016, says DARPA. Responses to the announcement are due to DARPA by Feb. 6 at 4:00 pm EST.

For more:
- see the solicitation on FBO

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