The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) has an ambitious plan to mine the various old satellites and space junk orbiting the Earth.

The project, codenamed the Phoenix Program, is still in the infancy stages of development.

The agency is looking to recycle some of the metallic junk that clutters the orbit of working satellites in order to get some use out of what is currently useless material.

"Today, satellites are not built to be modified or repaired in space," said Dave Barnhart, DARPA program manager, in press release on Tuesday. "Therefore, to enable an architecture that can re-use or re-purpose on-orbit components requires us to create new technologies and new capabilities. This progress report gives the community a better sense of how we are doing on the challenges we may face and the technologies needed to help us meet our goals."

The Phoenix Program is currently refining its first steps of development that include all kinds of prototype arms and grippers that can eventually be used to go around to old, non-functional satellites and take them for all they're worth.

There are three scenarios in development and each requires new technologies in order to proceed, according to The Space Reporter.

One is the ability to use the hardware already on retired satellites, such as antennas and solar arrays. A robotic "mechanic," or servicer/tender, would be launched that's capable of retrieving components from retired satellites. That requires new tools that can grasp antennas and cut them from their booms; non-mechanical adhesives that can wrap around and attach components; and micro-cameras able to withstand the hostile environment.

A second scenario involves adding technology to active satellites as a way of lowering maintenance costs or improving performance. A third is the prospect of assembling satellites in space using a combination of salvaged components and new parts.

This may seem like a plan for space piracy, but DARPA plans on reusing and mining the materials from the old orbiting satellites under the permission of their respective owners.