Inside the Historic Mission To Service an Orbiting Satellite

Northrop Grumman subsidiary SpaceLogistics allowed FLYING rare access to the lab where engineers quietly made space history performing the first operational commercial satellite servicing mission.

Thom Patterson

Friday, May 20, 2022 at 09:22 AM ET

Verified

An artist’s rendition of MEV-1 (left), SpaceLogistics’ history-making service spacecraft as it approaches a satellite in 2020. [Courtesy: Northrop Grumman]

Key Takeaways:

SpaceLogistics, a Northrop Grumman subsidiary, has pioneered autonomous on-orbit satellite servicing with its Mission Extension Vehicle (MEV).
The MEV-1 made history on February 25, 2020, by successfully docking with and providing propulsion and pointing control to Intelsat's IS-901 satellite in geosynchronous orbit (GEO).
This breakthrough technology extends the operational life of expensive satellites that would otherwise be retired due to fuel depletion, saving millions and maintaining critical global infrastructure.
SpaceLogistics plans to expand its capabilities with future spacecraft like the Mission Robotic Vehicle (MRV) for repair and debris removal, and the Mission Assembly and Repair Vehicle (MARV) for in-orbit manufacturing.

See a mistake? Contact us.

In a nondescript building outside Washington, D.C., a team of engineers, scientists, and technicians are making history with technological breakthroughs that have taken space satellite operations to the next level.

Northrop Grumman (NYSE: NOC) subsidiary SpaceLogistics allowed FLYING rare access inside the highly restricted lab where team members developed an autonomous spacecraft that can safely dock with commercial satellites in geosynchronous orbit (GEO) to provide propulsion and pointing control.