The article
Space Zombies. That is the first thing that came to mind once I dead about DARPA's Phoenix Program. The idea is to set up a new network of communication satellites by harvesting parts from old communication satellites. Now, satellites are awesome. Rockets are too. I think most everyone can agree upon that. However, as great as both of these things are, they cost money. And once your investment in satellites becomes obsolete, fails, or makes friends with a passing asteroid it isn't that great of an investment anymore. DARPA's idea seeks to turn "Well, there goes that satellite," to "Well, time to play Dr.Frankenstein with some satellites."
The implications
The implications of this are simply wonderful. Should DARPA get this system up and running we'd have a much simpler time with space travel and exploration in general. Given time to improve this system there could be a point in time in which we no longer build satellites on Earth. Instead good ol' Space Zombie Satellite Harvester #14 could just grab a couple old satellites, slap them together and now you have your newest addition to your network of communication satellites.