DARPA’s Blackjack: Autonomous LEO Satellite Constellation Merging Commercial and Military Microsatellites for Enhanced Space Security

​Historically, Department of Defense (DoD) satellites have been custom-designed for specific missions, resulting in lengthy design and enhancement cycles and high costs per spacecraft. However, the renaissance of commercial space has introduced the potential for economies of scale through the design and manufacturing of numerous low Earth orbit (LEO) constellations. DARPA is keen to leverage …