SSL, DARPA Finalize Agreement to Develop On-Orbit Spacecraft Servicing Tech

Space Systems Loral has finalized an agreement with the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency to develop technologies that would help service and maintain spacecraft in geostationary orbit.

SSL said Wednesday its team of engineers and technicians will perform work at a company facility in Palo Alto, California.

DARPA and SSL unveiled a draft version of their public-private partnership agreement for the Robotic Servicing of Geosynchronous Satellites program in February.

Howard Lance, CEO of SSL MDA Holdings, said SSL has begun to collaborate with NASA and DARPA on the agencies’ separate efforts to develop in-orbit satellite servicing technologies for commercial and government satellite operators.

SSL aims to build a space vehicle for integration with a robotic module from DARPA to produce a robotic servicing platform under the RSGS project.