All component-level testing has been completed in DARPA's Robotic Servicing of Geosynchronous Satellites (RSGS) program, and an on-orbit demonstration mission is scheduled for launch in 2024.
The goal is to help solve the growing problem of space debris by checking and maintaining satellites in Geosynchronous Earth Orbit (GEO) rather than ejecting them.
At GEO, hundreds of satellites provide communications, meteorology, national security and other critical functions. Currently, DARPA emphasizes, there are no options to visually diagnose, upgrade or repair faulty satellite components.
Source: electronicsweekly.com
