October 21, 2011 06:53 pm EDT

DARPA's Dr. Frankenllite could plunder space graves, create orbital abominations (video)

There are countless satellites, long deactivated, orbiting the Earth in what amounts to a giant cemetery in the sky. DARPA's Phoenix program sees these piles of junk not as refuse, but as a resource just waiting to be harvested. The plan is to re-engineer existing technology, like robots used in remote surgery and advanced imaging systems found in off-shore drilling platforms, for the harsh environment of space. The resulting orbiter would operate on the deceased (with the owners approval, of course), salvaging what it could and stitching them together to create new functional satellites. (Try storming those gates angry mob!) DARPA is also looking into building tiny "satlets" which could simply be clipped to the antennas of deactivated satellites, breathing new life into them and saving a significant chunk of cash. Head on after the break for a video of what the orbiting, robotic Dr. Frankenstein might look like as well as some PR.

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Original Link: http://www.engadget.com/2011/10/21/darpas-dr-fankenllite-could-plunder-space-graves-create-orbit/

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