{"id":946,"date":"2025-03-12T08:26:47","date_gmt":"2025-03-12T08:26:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/thedefencenews.com\/?p=946"},"modified":"2025-01-06T20:38:50","modified_gmt":"2025-01-06T20:38:50","slug":"northrop-grumman-eyes-2026-launch-of-robot-armed-satellite-servicer","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/thedefencenews.com\/?p=946","title":{"rendered":"Northrop Grumman eyes 2026 launch of robot-armed satellite servicer"},"content":{"rendered":"

Northrop Grumman\u2019s SpaceLogistics subsidiary is eyeing a 2026 launch for its next-generation satellite servicing vehicle, the Mission Robotic Vehicle (MRV). <\/strong><\/p>\n

Equipped with robotic arms developed by the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory (NRL), the MRV aims to extend the lifespan of satellites in geostationary orbit more than 22,500 miles above Earth.<\/p>\n

NRL announced Nov. 14 that the pair of robotic arms completed crucial thermal vacuum testing and are now at Northrop\u2019s satellite integration facility in Dulles, Virginia. The arms were developed under a Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) contract.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis robotic payload promises to transform satellite operations in geostationary orbit, reduce costs for satellite operators, and enable capabilities well beyond what we have today,\u201d said NRL\u2019s director of research Bruce Danly.<\/p>\n

Broader range of services<\/h2>\n

SpaceLogistics is using the robotic arms for the MRV under a partnership with DARPA. The company has already\u00a0secured three customers\u00a0for its MRV services \u2014 two satellites from Intelsat and one from Optus. These clients will receive Mission Extension Pods (MEPs), propulsion jet packs that can add approximately six years of operational life to aging satellites.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s about 500 satellites in GEO today and about 10 or more of those each year reach their end of life because they\u2019ve run out of fuel,\u201d SpaceLogistics President Rob Hauge told\u00a0SpaceNews<\/em>. The company expects to attract additional commercial and government customers for MRV missions before and after the 2026 launch.<\/p>\n

SpaceLogistics is positioning the MRV as a versatile solution in the space-servicing market, which includes satellite repair, repositioning, and debris removal.\u00a0The MRV\u2019s robotic arms will enable more sophisticated tasks, such as detailed inspections and repairs and satellite relocations, said Hauge.<\/p>\n

\u201cOur primary focus is delivering on commitments to our existing customers, but we\u2019re engaged in ongoing discussions with other commercial and government operators who are interested in MRV\u2019s advanced capabilities,\u201d he said. The MRV will stay in orbit for several years.<\/p>\n

Hauge said the MRV builds upon Northrop Grumman\u2019s experience with its Mission Extension Vehicles (MEV), which have successfully serviced two Intelsat communications satellites.<\/p>\n

The 350-kilogram MEPs represent a more affordable option compared to the much larger MEVs. The mission extension pods, unlike the MEVs, do not have their own rendezvous and docking systems, which helps reduce costs, Hauge explained. The pods will be launched to a transfer orbit and use electric propulsion to reach geosynchronous orbit, where they will dock with the MRV.<\/p>\n

The MRV will then transport each pod to its client satellite, using one of the robotic arms to attach it to the client\u2019s engine nozzle. Once installed, the MEP assumes propulsion responsibilities, maintaining the satellite\u2019s orbital position and enabling necessary maneuvers without depleting its original fuel supply.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Northrop Grumman\u2019s SpaceLogistics subsidiary is eyeing a 2026 launch for its next-generation satellite servicing vehicle, the Mission Robotic Vehicle (MRV). Equipped with robotic arms developed by the U.S. Naval Research […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1513,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[40],"tags":[176,292],"class_list":["post-946","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-space","tag-northrop-grumman","tag-robot-armed-satellite-servicer"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/thedefencenews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/robot-armed-satellite-servicer.png","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/thedefencenews.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/946","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/thedefencenews.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/thedefencenews.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thedefencenews.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thedefencenews.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=946"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/thedefencenews.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/946\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1514,"href":"https:\/\/thedefencenews.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/946\/revisions\/1514"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thedefencenews.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/1513"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/thedefencenews.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=946"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thedefencenews.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=946"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thedefencenews.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=946"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}