Droids could soon be placed on satellites in geostationary orbit (GEO) around Earth to make the job of repairing and maintaining them much easier - and cheaper.
The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) is looking at the possibility of installing robots on satellites before they are launched into orbit. Once on board the droids would be responsible for a number of tasks, including inspecting the satellites, fixing any problems and performing orbit adjustments.
This project, named Phoenix, would slash the cost of dealing with problems of satellites that orbit at a distance of 35,400 kilometres (22,000 miles) above Earth. Satellites operating in a low-Earth orbit (LEO) are able to be repaired by conventional means because they are within easy reach of Earth, but the height of the geostationary satellites means that any repair missions are impossible with current technology. Establishing a droid on a satellite before launch would enable scientists on Earth to affect a remote repair. This would increase the life expectancy of the satellites, as damaged satellites could be repaired rather than ditched.