Northrop Grumman has written a brand new line within the historical past books, the corporate’s Mission Extension Car 1 (MEV-1) executing the primary undocking of two business satellites in geosynchronous earth orbit (GEO) – heralding a brand new age of business area operations.
Constructed and operated by SpaceLogistics LLC, a Northrop Grumman subsidiary, MEV-1 had already made historical past on February 25, 2020 when it docked with the decommissioned Intelsat IS-901 communications satellite tv for pc in GEO at an altitude of twenty-two,000 miles (36,000 km) above the Earth.
Paradoxically, there was nothing incorrect with the US$250-million IS-901 even after 15 years of service. The one cause it was taken out of service and shunted right into a graveyard orbit was that it had run out of the propellant that it wanted to maintain it in its correct orbit and preserve perspective management.
MEV-1
As an alternative of tossing out a wonderfully good piece of {hardware}, Northrop developed the MEV as a life-extension spacecraft that may not solely carry defunct satellites again into service, it may possibly additionally dock with craft that had been by no means designed with a docking mechanism.
The MEV-1 managed its docking feat with a particular probe that inserts into the principle engine nozzle of the goal satellite tv for pc and locks itself in. It then takes over the propulsion and perspective management duties, permitting the satellite tv for pc to be reactivated and put again on the job.
All that sounds fairly easy, however a easy description covers some very complicated engineering. Rendezvousing with an orbital satellite tv for pc, particularly in GEO utilizing a robotic spacecraft, is way from straightforward because the approaching spacecraft matches orbit, inspects the goal, and orients itself for docking – an operation that takes three months. Then it is a matter of very slowly and thoroughly getting near the goal with out colliding with it, lining up excellent, reaching out with little manipulator arms that want to seek out one thing to seize maintain of, extending the probe and pulling the goal’s rocket nozzle onto it in an operation that produces a really disturbing psychological image.
Northrop Grumman
Not solely was the 2020 docking profitable, however MEV-1 was capable of exhibit its capacity to maintain IS-901 in service for a further 5 years. Earlier than it was undocked on April 9, 2025, MEV-1 pushed the re-decommissioned coms satellite tv for pc again right into a graveyard orbit the place it will not pose a hazard to navigation.
MEV-1 is at present en route to a different satellite tv for pc that it’s going to dock with. In the meantime, MEV-2 is scheduled to stay docked to Intelsat 10-02 for an additional 4 years earlier than shifting on.
These missions are greater than an indication of technological capabilities; they’re a harbinger of the way forward for business area operations. These service spacecraft are opening a complete new market with their capacity to increase the lifetime of satellites that will in any other case be a lot cosmic scrap.
Northrop Grumman
Such rendezvous will seemingly turn into extra frequent as new satellites are designed to accommodate visiting servicers. These extra superior variations of the MEV won’t solely act as propulsion modules, they may be capable to refuel satellites, restore them, and even disassemble them in salvage operations to recuperate elements that may be put in in new satellites with out having to return them to Earth.
Hopefully, salvage legal guidelines for area can be up to date accordingly.
“The primary-of-its-kind know-how that prolonged a satellite tv for pc’s life is paving the best way for a complete infrastructure of future on-orbit satellite tv for pc servicing missions for quite a lot of prospects,” mentioned Rob Hauge, president, House Logistics. “We’re persevering with to spend money on next-generation capabilities to ship probably the most technologically superior servicing capabilities to assist and preserve new and current space-based belongings.”
Supply: Northrop Grumman
