Northrop Grumman Expands Satellite Life-Extension Services

Northrop Grumman Corporation’s SpaceLogistics LLC announced its agreement to extend, by four years, the revolutionary on-orbit life-extension services its Mission Extension Vehicles (MEVs) provide to satellite operator, Intelsat.

Northrop Grumman Expands Satellite Life-Extension Services

An artist rendering of the Mission Extension Vehicle docked to a client satellite. (Credit: Northrop Grumman SpaceLogistics)

    At the end of the current servicing period, MEV-1 will relocate and release the Intelsat 901 (IS-901) satellite into the Geosynchronous Earth Orbit (GEO) graveyard and provide service for another Intelsat satellite.

    MEV-2 will remain docked to Intelsat’s current vehicle, Intelsat 10-02 (IS-10-02), providing life-extension for an additional four years – nearly doubling service from the original contract.

Expert:

Rob Hauge, president, SpaceLogistics: “As technology pioneers for the in-space servicing industry, our two MEVs have provided a combined seven years of life extension to increase our customer’s satellite lifetime and support our joint commitment to making space sustainable.”

Details:

Northrop Grumman remains committed to its legacy of space sustainability beginning when MEV-1 performed the first-ever in-orbit commercial spacecraft docking with IS-901.

In 2021, the company achieved another milestone when MEV-2 docked with IS-10-02 while the satellite was in operation, with no reported disruption in service during the docking. The initial service period was for five years for both MEVs. With these new contract amendments, the lifespans of several commercial GEO satellites will be extended for an additional four years.

Northrop Grumman is the only provider of life-extension services for satellites in GEO. The MEVs extend the life of legacy satellites, allowing them to operate longer and generate more revenue.