Pentagon's In-Orbit Satellite Recycling Program Moving Forward

An anonymous reader writes with an update on DARPA's plans to rebuild satellites in orbit. "A year old DARPA program which aims to recycle satellites in orbit has started its next phase by looking for a guinea pig defunct satellite to use for evaluating the technology required. The program involves a Dr Frankensat 'complete with mechanical arms and other "unique tools"' and blank "satlets" to build upon.' Need parts! Kill the little one!" If we're ever going to build space craft and other things in orbit, this seems like a great first step.

Comments

how to be a billionnaire in this department

[fluffythedestroyer]

1. make a company 2. find investors & show your plans 3. launch craft to space around earth 4. clean everyone's crap and make them pay 5. profit 6. huge profit 7. fuck load of profit (optional) 8. buy Nasa 9. change how they work since it's needs lots of changes (look at history and you'll know what mistakes they've done) 10. profit again

Can we *not* do this???

[NikeHerc]

Will somebody come to their senses and shoot down this stupid idea? And, in the process, save us taxpayers millions of dollars now (and, likely, billions later)?

I am a proponent of space activities, but this is just abysmally stupid and will be an incredibly expensive boondoggle.