A 'mechanic' satellite designed to refuel and repair a partner in space is set to launch on Thursday. The feats would be the first of their kind and will lay the groundwork for future autonomous robotic missions to the Moon, Mars and beyond.
With U.S. military officials frustrated at the expense and time needed to build satellites, the Pentagon is fielding small satellites called TacSats that can be built faster and cheaper based on already mature technology.
Mini-satellites that could navigate autonomously and inspect other satellites in orbit are being developed by the US Air Force. The developers say the technology could one day be used to check the space shuttle or its successor for damage, while other experts say it could be used to disable "enemy" satellites in orbit.
A new classified microsatellite project, dubbed "MiTEx" from the U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency could be another precursor experiment for the development of anti-satellite weapons.
A Russian company is using anti-satellite weapons technology developed by the Soviet Union to launch microsatellites using a MiG 31. The Soviet Union developed the ability to launch an anti-satellite missile from a fighter jet in response to U.S. tests with an F-15 in 1985.
"While the U.S. Congress was debating the defense budget this summer, Air Force officials were downplaying their efforts to develop small, orbiting weapons to disrupt or destroy enemy satellites."