A new generation of robots designed to prolong satellite operations is being deployed by Northrop Grumman. This week, a Mission Extension Vehicle (MEV) from Northrop Grumman detached from an Optus communications satellite after more than a year of keeping it in position.
The MEV is making way for its replacement. In July, four new Northrop spacecraft, including a Mission Robotic Vehicle (MRV) with two robotic arms developed by DARPA, and three Mission Extension Pods (MEPs), launched into orbit on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket.
These four spacecraft are currently travelling towards targets approximately 27,000 miles above Earth. In 2027, the MRV is scheduled to use its robotic arms to attach one of the MEPs to the Optus satellite, which could extend its operational life for several years.
Satellites often cease functioning due to a lack of fuel to maintain their position, rather than computer or transceiver failure. The Optus satellite, launched in 2009, had a designed lifespan of 15 years. If the MEV mission is successful, the satellite could continue to operate for an additional six years.