From: Adam <""4thwormcastfromthemolehill\"{at}the field.near
the bridge">

Is it mil.....or civie.....oh the layers of grey twixt the 2.

http://www.space.com/missionlaunches/070308_orbitalexpress_prelnch.html

"Two prototype spacecraft, one wielding its own robotic arm, are
poised to launch spaceward late Thursday on a three-month mission to test
methods for robotically refueling satellites in Earth orbit.

A United Launch Alliance Atlas 5 rocket is slated to launch the two
spacecraft, collectively known as Orbital Express, and a clutch of
microsatellites at 9:37 p.m. EST (0237 GMT) from Florida’s Cape Canaveral
Air Force Station [image]. The planned flight is part of the U.S. Air
Force’s Space Technology Program 1 (STP-1) mission.

“I think we’re feeling pretty good about it,” USAF Lt. Col. Fred Kennedy,
project manager for Orbital Express, said in a telephone interview. “We’re
very confident that we’re going to have a nice successful mission.”

Built for the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), the
Orbital Express vehicles are aimed at demonstrating autonomous spacecraft
refueling and servicing techniques [video, image].

For military uses, such capabilities would allow reconnaissance satellites
to keep station over specific areas of interest and tank up on vital
propellant later, though the technology could also aid general-use
spacecraft in need of periodic equipment repairs, replacements or an
orbital boost, mission managers said.

“I think it’s extremely valuable for the entire space arena,” Kennedy said
of Orbital Express’ goal, adding that the mission could help ease the
stringent requirements of long-life satellites. “Maybe you can accept a
level of imperfection that will allow you to go up later and perform
upgrades and perform repairs, and put more propellant onboard to get the
job done. That will be a sea change in the way we do business.”"

Adam

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