DARPA partnered with the Naval Research Laboratory to develop the RSGS robotic payload. After more than 20 years of development, the robotic system was designed to meet Department of Defense reliability standards, including redundant robotic arms, avionics and mission troops. The RSGS payload also features cameras and sensors to allow the MRV to autonomously approach, inspect, capture and update customer satellites that were not designed for visitors.
“This journey to the launch pad represents the culmination of a multi-decade effort of vision, risk and relentless engineering,” Bernard Kelm, acting director of the NRL’s Naval Space Technology Center, said in a statement. DARPA first funded NRL’s space robotics work in 2002, a small study for a concept called RescueSat. RSGS can trace its lineage to that initiative.
“RSGS is designed to permanently change this ‘launch and abandon’ archetype,” Kelm said. “The RSGS program changes this paradigm by enabling in-orbit interventions, including inspections, resolution of mechanical anomalies, satellite relocation and upgrades.”
This is not DARPA’s first foray into satellite servicing. the agency Orbital Express MissionLaunched in 2007, it completed several months of rendezvous and docking maneuvers, robotic arm testing, and other service demonstrations in low Earth orbit. DARPA formally established the RSGS program in 2015, building on robotics work already underway at the Naval Research Laboratory. DARPA initially selected Maxar—now Lanteris Space Systems—to partner on the RSGS program, but the company backed out and DARPA replaced Maxar with Northrop Grumman in 2020.
NASA Goddard Space Flight Center also contributed engineering expertise to the RSGS program after NASA canceled its own robotic satellite servicing mission in 2024. NASA support included the development of dynamic simulation and analysis tools, software verification, and a team of flight robot operators to assist ground controllers during mission operations.
“RSGS is designed to operate on satellites that have not been prepared and, as a result, has more complex robotics,” said Jim Shoemaker, RSGS program director at DARPA. “This was designed as an operating system. Orbital Express had one arm. RSGS has two arms, which is good. It gives you more capability. Plus, it gives you some redundancy if you have a problem with one of the arms during the mission. The other difference here is that DARPA is working to transition the capability to industry, so it’s a public-private partnership.”
