With the successful docking of Mission Extension Vehicle 2, or MEV-2, to the Intelsat 10-02 satellite last month, Northrop Grumman not only repeated the task of successfully attaching one of their MEV spacecraft to a functioning satellite but also successfully proved the ability to grab a still-transmitting telecommunications satellite without disrupting service.<\/p>\n
The success of both MEV-1 and -2 has led to an increasing interest in the use of those crafts after their current five-year missions with their present satellites are complete. Meanwhile, Northrop Grumman has already begun work on the next generations of remote, on-orbit servicing and debris clean-up vehicles.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
MEV-2 builds on MEV-1\u2019s success<\/b><\/p>\n
Launched in October 2019, MEV-1 rendezvoused with its target satellite, Intelsat 901, on 25 February 2020, successfully performing an automated rendezvous and docking in an area of Earth orbit known as the GEO graveyard.<\/p>\n
The GEO graveyard is located approximately 300 kilometers above Geostationary orbit, which itself resides at 35,786 km above Earth sea level. <\/p>\n
The first-ever docking in this type of Earth orbit, MEV-1 successfully demonstrated the ability to grab a still functioning but not transmitting or operational-in-that-regard satellite and provide mission extension propulsion and attitude control services.<\/p>\n
MEV-1 successfully maneuvered Intelsat 901 back down into the operational GEO belt, allowing it to continue to use its still operational telecommunications services even though its onboard propulsion system was running out of fuel to keep the satellite stable in orbit.<\/p>\n
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