Northrop Grumman's Spacecraft Takes Over Satellite Servicing

CoinWorld reported:

Northrop Grumman's satellite servicing business has entered a new phase. This week, one of the company's mission extension vehicles separated from the Optus satellite, ending a year-long on-orbit support mission. A new system will take over to continue providing orbit maintenance capabilities for this satellite, which is nearing the end of its design life.

Old Vehicle Completes Phase Mission

The separated vehicle belongs to Northrop's Mission Extension Vehicle, or MEV. For over a year, it has been connected to the tail of the Optus satellite, helping maintain its designated orbital position to continue its communication tasks.

The Optus satellite was launched in 2009 with an original design life of 15 years. The article states that satellites are often retired not due to failures in computers or communication equipment, but rather because they run out of fuel needed to maintain their orbit. If subsequent missions go smoothly, the satellite's service life could be extended by about six more years, continuing to generate revenue.

Next-Generation System Already in Orbit

In July of this year, four new spacecraft from Northrop were launched into orbit by SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket. This includes one Mission Robotic Vehicle, or MRV, and three smaller Mission Extension Pods, or MEP propulsion modules.

As planned, these spacecraft are heading to a target orbit approximately 27,000 miles from Earth. By 2027, the MRV will use its two robotic arms to install one MEP onto the Optus satellite. Unlike the earlier MEV that directly "docked" with the satellite, the MEP will be permanently attached to the customer satellite, allowing the MRV to move on to the next mission after installation.

• MRV: Equipped with two robotic arms
• MEP: Modular propulsion system
• Goal: Reduce the cost of single service

Business Model Shifts from "Docking" to "Installation"

Northrop currently has two MEVs in orbit, launched in 2019 and 2020, respectively. They have provided a total of 10 years of extension services for three customers, including two Intelsat satellites and one Optus satellite.

Under the new model, satellite operators purchase and hold the MEP, which will remain on the satellite long-term. This way, the MRV does not have to be tied up in a single customer mission for long periods and can repeatedly perform installation services, potentially lowering overall quotes. The article notes that MEV-1 will wait in a parking orbit for its next customer, while MEV-2 will continue servicing its Intelsat customer until 2030.

On-Orbit Maintenance Targets a Larger Market

The challenge of these missions lies in the spacecraft needing to autonomously approach, dock, and operate safely at high speeds. The MEV connects to the satellite's thruster nozzle via a docking probe, while the MRV relies on its robotic arms to perform more precise installation actions.

Northrop states that the MRV is also designed to refuel on orbit, which is seen as part of future on-orbit maintenance, upgrades, and servicing capabilities. As launch costs and spacecraft component costs decrease, satellite servicing tasks that were previously difficult to commercialize are becoming more feasible.

The article also mentions that the current low Earth orbit satellite market is popular for deploying large numbers of low-cost, replaceable satellites, such as Starlink and Amazon's low Earth projects. However, in geostationary orbit, there are still many high-cost, large satellites that are suitable for continued use through servicing. Northrop also anticipates that these robotic spacecraft could take on more tasks in the future, including adding new components to satellites and adjusting their orbits.

Additional Information: The MRV's robotic arms were developed with the involvement of the U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA). The article notes that such on-orbit servicing spacecraft with robotic arm capabilities may also attract interest from defense customers.

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