SpaceX launches Northrop mission to extend the life of aging satellites - SpaceNews

What the report says

SpaceNews reported that SpaceX launched a Northrop Grumman satellite-servicing mission on July 21 from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. A Falcon 9 lifted off at 5:15 p.m. Eastern carrying Northrop’s Mission Robotic Vehicle, or MRV, along with three Mission Extension Pods toward geosynchronous transfer orbit. SpaceX did not try to land the first-stage booster because the mission needed its full performance, ending that booster’s run after 32 flights.

The spacecraft were developed by SpaceLogistics, a Northrop Grumman subsidiary. After using their own propulsion to reach geostationary orbit, roughly 22,000 miles above Earth, the pods are expected to wait near client satellites. The MRV is designed to collect each pod, approach a customer spacecraft and attach the pod using two robotic arms before moving on to another satellite.

The approach is meant to support aging geostationary communications satellites without transferring fuel. Each pod attaches to the aft structural ring of a satellite and uses electric thrusters to help with station-keeping and attitude control. SpaceNews said Northrop estimates a pod can add about six years of service life for a typical GEO communications satellite. Two pods are under contract for Intelsat, while Optus ordered the first one.

The mission builds on Northrop SpaceLogistics’ earlier Mission Extension Vehicles, which have docked with Intelsat and Optus satellites in 2020, 2021 and 2025. SpaceNews also noted that the MRV robotic payload traces back to DARPA’s Robotic Servicing of Geosynchronous Satellites program, with Northrop later taking over the commercial spacecraft effort.