Autonomous repair robots launched into space

Few things set our geek pulses a-purrin' like DARPA sponsored projects, robots, and outer space. So combining the three into last night's launch of the Orbital Express had us hopping and clapping like little girls in pink party dresses. Built for DARPA, the pair of satellites were launched to demonstrate the feasibility of autonomously servicing satellites in space. Yeah, autonomous as in no human interaction, unless there's a problem with the sensors, passive detection systems, and computer software requiring mission control to intervene. Both the robotic-arm equipped ASTRO servicing satellite and smaller NextSat target will be orbiting our blue planet for the next three months testing autonomous rendezvous, refueling, and component replacement. A successful mission would pave the way for a fleet of both commercial and military vehicles for use in repairing or providing an orbital boost to general-use spacecraft while allowing recon satellites to maintain position longer. We're pretty sure that last bit has some generals jumping and clapping as well.

Read -- Satellite launch
Read -- Orbital Express

[David Balogh @ Mar 9th 2007 12:27PM]

Now all we need is autonomous garbage pickers out there. After China's satellite blowup we have way too much junk orbiting the Earth. Going to be hard to get out there with all that crap going 10,000 mph in our atmosphere. But this is cool nonetheless. How very Star Wars of us.

[triacontahedron @ Mar 9th 2007 12:43PM]

"How very Star Wars of us."

Exactly! How do you thing army is going to use them? You dont need lasers, particle weapon or a huge cannon to destroy an enemy satellite , it is enough to slow one down a little so that it would burn in the atmosphere after a few revolutions.

Why do you think these repair bots are autonomous? The only reason is that you can deploy say 100's of them in space in case of approaching war etc. and then trigger them when needed. The best part is that they dont fall under treaty that prohibits deploying weapons in outer space. I bet the "refueling" model is small enough to be launched by a trident rocket so that army can use existing infrustructure to deploy these satellites.

[jason @ Mar 9th 2007 1:07PM]

if these are autonomous repair bots designed to operate well outside of range of home base, where do they get their parts from?

[UserDoesNotExist @ Mar 9th 2007 1:20PM]

And thus Skynet's distant ancestor was born.

[Kumar @ Mar 9th 2007 6:00PM]

Hello Hal.
Hello Dave.
Hal, I need you to do something for me today.
Sure Dave, what's up?
Hal, if you could just un-repair a couple of those Iranian and North Korean satellites, that would be great.
Sure thing Dave....
I love you Hal.
I love you too Dave.

[alf.audiovisual @ Mar 12th 2007 6:15AM]

The recently launched Optus D1 satellite could use this system to re-polarise the
transponders that they fitted to the wrong polarity for New Zealand.
http://www.av1.co.nz

[code_e @ Mar 12th 2007 8:32PM]

Wow now china's going to have even more fun. Before they knew the satellites orbit when they were shooting them down. But with these it will be like duck hunt. I'm jealous!