DARPA Phoenix program is a program that looks to develop and showcase technologies to cooperatively harvest and re-use valuable components from retired, nonworking satellites in GEO.  Phoenix is looking to showcase around-the-clock, globally persistent communication ability for warfighters cost effectively by robotically removing and re-using GEO-based space apertures and antennas from de-commissioned satellites in the graveyard or disposal orbit. 

Recently, Energid Technologies Corporation announced that the company was selected to offer software for robotic control and simulation to DARPA Phoenix.  

With its Actin software for robot control and simulation, Energid plans to extend the contract to DARPA to create Actin-X, which is a set of real-time libraries that can be linked to create software for real-time robot control on the servicing spacecraft. This control looks to utilize the extra degrees of freedom in the manipulating robot arms to improve strength, avoid collisions and avoid joint limits.

During development and support training in preparation for launch Energid's software is planned to support validation of the system through simulation. To do this, Energid is making use of technology developed for NASA, the National Science Foundation, and the Naval Research Laboratory, the company stated in a press release.

“Actin enables automatic construction of control systems and simulations from CAD models, such as would be made with SolidWorks," said James Bacon, a principal engineer on the project.  "This capability seeks to allow robot designers to test concepts in just minutes and accelerate the design process for Phoenix.”

Recently, the company released version 3.0 of this toolkit, which facilitates powerful robotic systems and provides advanced control tools and digital simulation for roboticists. The toolkit is developed by Energid Technologies which specializes in sensing, communications, control, and simulation for complex systems.

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