The US Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (Darpa) has extended its contract with MacDonald, Dettwiler and Associates (MDA) to further develop and test the Payload Orbital Delivery (POD) system for the Phoenix programme.

The POD is designed to carry small packages into orbit such as payloads and electronics, aboard commercial satellites.

The mechanism will offer lower-cost delivery capabilities to geosynchronous Earth orbit (GEO) by leveraging the tempo and hosted payloads services provided by commercial satellites, MDA said.

MDA was selected by Darpa to develop POD for Phoenix in November 2013.

"It will deliver a new class of ‘satlets’, which will be similar to nano satellites."

The POD system is one of the three technologies being developed for the Phoenix programme. It will deliver a new class of ‘satlets’, which will be similar to nano satellites.

Satlets are small, independent modules with essential satellite functionality such as power supplies, movement controls, and sensors, and can be and integrated quickly with various payloads.

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The modular satellite will robotically attach to a retired satellite through Phoenix to create a new space system in orbit.

Phoenix is designed to develop technologies to inspect and robotically service cooperative space systems in GEO with the aim of reducing the cost of access to space.

The programme is currently focused on three key technical areas of research, including advanced GEO space robotics, Satlets and POD.

Darpa is currently working on various robotics technologies for on-orbit mission needs, including enhancing robotic arms and multiple generic and mission-specific tools that will be part of future robotic assembly platform.