[G Larry]

Doncha ya spose a 3.5 Meter mirror is firmly planted on the ground?

“DARPA’s newly developed Space Surveillance Telescope (SST) aims to change that, ushering in a new era of ground-based space surveillance technology “

[Paine in the Neck]

Doncha ya spose a 3.5 Meter mirror is firmly planted on the ground?

I reckon so (and confess a reading comprehension glitch). Nevertheless, DARPA is not engaged in development of civilian projects and is not interested in 'looking at Mars' (yet). We must presume a near-earth military application.