OrbitalHub

Northrop Grumman dicit:

SpaceLogistics LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Northrop Grumman, provides cooperative in-orbit satellite servicing to geosynchronous satellite operators using its fleet of commercial servicing vehicles. Our initial servicing vehicle, the Mission Extension Vehicle (MEV)™ docks with customers’ existing satellites providing the propulsion and attitude control needed to extend their lives. We have now introduced our next generation system, Mission Extension Pods (MEPs)™, which is a smaller and less expensive life extension service that only performs orbit control. The MEPs are installed by a robotic servicing vehicle called the Mission Robotic Vehicle (MRV)™ which can perform all the functions of an MEV while adding new robotic capabilities for additional services.

Our life extension services are compatible with virtually all geosynchronous satellites with minimal interruption to operations. They enable satellite operators to significantly extend satellite mission life, activate new markets, drive asset value and protect their franchises. SpaceLogistics delivers life extension services that are flexible, scalable, capital-efficient and low-risk. Our breakthrough innovations provide satellite operators unprecedented flexibility in asset deployment, enabling game-changing advances in financial and operating flexibility, and risk mitigation.

Video Credit: Northrop Grumman

Northrop Grumman dicit:

Our Mission Extension Vehicle (MEV-1), the first of its kind spacecraft to extend another satellite’s life, is now in orbit. MEV is designed to rendezvous and dock with satellites running low on fuel.

Video Credit: Northrop Grumman

Wikipedia dicit:

European Organisation of Telecommunications by Satellite S.A. (EUTELSAT) is a European satellite operator. Providing coverage over the entire European continent, the Middle East, Africa, Asia and the Americas, it is the world’s third largest satellite operator in terms of revenues. Eutelsat’s satellites are used for broadcasting nearly 7,000 television stations, of which 1,400 are in HD, and 1,100 radio stations to over 274 million cable and satellite homes. They also serve requirements for TV contribution services, corporate networks, mobile communications, Internet backbone connectivity and broadband access for terrestrial, maritime and in-flight applications.

The Mission Extension Vehicle (MEV) is a spacecraft concept proposed by ViviSat. ViviSat was a 50/50 joint venture of aerospace firms U.S. Space and ATK created in 2010 for the purpose of designing, producing and operating the MEV-program. The purpose of the MEV-spacecraft is to operate as a small-scale in-space satellite-refueling spacecraft. Since the original conception of the MEV-program by the ViviSat-company, the Vivisat-venture has been shut down and the company dissolved by ATK (one of the partners in Vivisat) in April of 2016. The MEV-program has continued as a solo-project of ATK. ATK has been since purchased by Northrop Grumman in 2018, and is now Northrop Grumman Innovation Systems. The MEV-program continues under Northrop Grumman.

Video Credit: Roscosmos

Northrop Grumman has made significant progress in developing its new satellite life extension service. The innovative technology, a first in the industry, gives satellite operators the capability to extend the life of a healthy satellite. Northrop Grumman remains on track to introduce its in-orbit satellite servicing system with the Mission Extension Vehicle-1 (MEV-1).

Video Credit: NASA Goddard