Northrop Grumman completes milestone undocking of MEV-1 in GEO orbit

Written by Copernical Team Tuesday, 15 April 2025 11:06

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Los Angeles CA (SPX) Apr 15, 2025

Northrop Grumman Corporation's Space Logistics LLC has achieved a significant milestone in commercial satellite servicing, successfully completing the first-ever undocking between two commercial spacecraft in geosynchronous Earth orbit (GEO). The Mission Extension Vehicle-1 (MEV-1) disengaged from Intelsat's IS-901 satellite, marking the conclusion of a five-year mission that extended the operat

Northrop Grumman completes milestone undocking of MEV-1 in GEO orbit
by Clarence Oxford
Los Angeles CA (SPX) Apr 15, 2025

Northrop Grumman Corporation's Space Logistics LLC has achieved a significant milestone in commercial satellite servicing, successfully completing the first-ever undocking between two commercial spacecraft in geosynchronous Earth orbit (GEO). The Mission Extension Vehicle-1 (MEV-1) disengaged from Intelsat's IS-901 satellite, marking the conclusion of a five-year mission that extended the operational life of the aging spacecraft.

Originally docked in 2020 within the GEO graveyard orbit, MEV-1 was the first commercial spacecraft to demonstrate docking capability in this region. The mission restored IS-901 to active service in GEO, enabling continued operations well beyond the satellite's original design life. With its task complete, MEV-1 has returned IS-901 to the graveyard orbit and is now transitioning to its next client mission.

Rob Hauge, president of Space Logistics, emphasized the broader implications of this achievement: "The first-of-its kind technology that extended a satellite's life is paving the way for an entire infrastructure of future on-orbit satellite servicing missions for a variety of customers. We are continuing to invest in next-generation capabilities to deliver the most technologically advanced servicing capabilities to support and maintain new and existing space-based assets."

Northrop Grumman remains the only company to have proven GEO satellite life-extension capabilities in orbit. Its MEV series delivers propulsion and attitude control services to aging satellites, allowing operators to extend the value of their investments without building replacements.

Following MEV-1, MEV-2 successfully docked with Intelsat 10-02 directly in GEO in 2021, with no service interruptions reported during the process. That mission has already been extended to provide life-extension services for nearly twice the originally planned duration.

Looking ahead, Northrop Grumman's next-generation satellite servicing systems are scheduled to begin deployment next year. These platforms will offer an expanded suite of orbital services, including in-space repairs, hardware upgrades, refueling, debris removal, and even orbital assembly and manufacturing.