[7][8] At the time, small satellite tests in low Earth orbit were projected to occur as early as 2015.
[9] Although a number of system elements were designed and tested, the U.S. government-funded development program was not continued after 2015.
Another collaboration was initiated in 2017 by DARPA between certain researchers and U.S. government contractors to develop rules for the future commercial use of in-orbit satellite repair.
[10] Although commercial launches to space are regulated by government agencies, satellite servicing protocols have not yet been developed.
[11][12] Following the success of that mission, Northrop Grumman was contracted by the U.S. government to study the possibility of servicing U.S. national security satellites.