Northrop Grumman Corporation’s Space Logistics LLC has successfully completed the first-ever undocking between two commercial spacecraft in the geosynchronous Earth orbit (GEO) graveyard. The undocking involved the Mission Extension Vehicle (MEV-1), which had been providing life-extension services to Intelsat’s IS-901 satellite for the past five years.
MEV-1’s mission began in 2020 when it successfully docked with the IS-901 satellite in the GEO graveyard orbit, a region used for decommissioned satellites. By restoring IS-901 to full operation, MEV-1 extended the satellite’s operational life beyond its original design. With the life-extension services now completed, MEV-1 has released IS-901 back into the GEO graveyard and is moving on to its next mission.
Rob Hauge, president of Space Logistics, expressed pride in the achievement, stating, “This groundbreaking technology that extended a satellite’s life is paving the way for future on-orbit servicing missions for a variety of customers. We continue to invest in next-generation capabilities to deliver the most advanced servicing technologies for both new and existing space-based assets.”
In 2020, MEV-1 performed the first-ever docking with IS-901 in the graveyard orbit, then reduced the satellite’s inclination to bring it back into operational service in GEO. Building on this success, in 2021, MEV-2 performed a similar docking with Intelsat’s IS-10-02 directly in GEO, without any service interruptions.
Northrop Grumman’s Space Logistics specializes in in-orbit satellite servicing for GEO satellite operators. Using its MEVs, Space Logistics provides propulsion and attitude control to extend the service life of satellites. Looking ahead, the company plans to expand its offerings starting next year, including on-orbit repairs, upgrades, refueling, debris removal, and even satellite assembly and manufacturing.
