The Consortium for Execution of Rendezvous and Servicing Operations (CONFERS) is a program started by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) in 2017.[1] The goal was to address the lack of widely accepted technical and safety standards for on-orbit servicing activities involving commercial satellites.[2] In partnership with NASA, the CONFERS program was to establish a permanent, self-sustaining, and independent forum where industry could engage with the U.S. Government to collaborate and create standards for on-orbit servicing.[3]
In 2017, DARPA provided funding to Advanced Technology International to form the consortium as an industry-led initiative.[4] Since 2018, CONFERS holds annual Global Satellite Servicing Forum conferences.[5]
In 2022, International Standards Organization (ISO) adopted CONFERS’ standard as ISO 24330, Space systems — Rendezvous and Proximity Operations (RPO) and On Orbit Servicing (OOS).[6]
DARPA has transitioned the leadership and funding to CONFERS, Inc., a nonprofit 501(c)(6) organization.[7][8]
References
edit- ^ "CONFERS Proposers Day". darpa.mil. December 16, 2016. Retrieved July 29, 2023.
- ^ Staff, SpaceNews (2023-12-05). "The 2023 SpaceNews Icon Awards: Winners". SpaceNews. Retrieved 2023-12-27.
- ^ "Consortium for Execution of Rendezvous and Servicing Operations (CONFERS)". darpa.mil. Retrieved July 29, 2023.
- ^ "CONFERS establishing international standards for satellite operations". Advanced Technology International. Retrieved July 29, 2023.
- ^ "Global Satellite Servicing Forum – CONFERS". Retrieved 2023-07-29.
- ^ "ISO 24330:2022 - Space systems - Rendezvous and Proximity Operations (RPO) and On Orbit Servicing (OOS) - Programmatic principles and practices". webstore.ansi.org. Retrieved 2023-07-29.
- ^ "CONFERS". Retrieved 2023-07-29.
- ^ "CONFERS". www.darpa.mil. Retrieved 2023-07-29.