Northrop's first MEV successfully docks with Intelsat 901 satellite

MEV-1 can extend the life of a satellite by five years, or an estimated 25 percent of its life.

US aerospace company Northrop Grumman Corporation on Tuesday successfully completed the first-ever docking of the Mission Extension Vehicle-1 (MEV-1) with the Intelsat 901 (IS-901), a fully operational communication satellite running low on fuel.

Described as a 'historic accomplishment', the event marks the first time two commercial satellites have docked in orbit and the first time that mission extension services will be offered to a satellite in geosynchronous orbit. MEV-1 can extend the life of a satellite by five years, or an estimated 25 percent of its life.

The combined spacecraft stack will now perform on-orbit checkouts before MEV-1 begins relocating the combined vehicle to return IS-901 into service in late March, the company said in a statement.

Intelsat has been at the forefront of innovation and game-changing space technology for decades. Pushing the boundaries of what's possible is in our DNA here – that's why we didn't hesitate to sign up to be MEV-1's first customer. We're proud to make history with SpaceLogistics LLC and Northrop Grumman on this groundbreaking space milestone

Mike DeMarco, executive vice president and chief services officer at Intelsat

Northrop Grumman performed the historic docking with SpaceLogistics LLC, the company's wholly-owned subsidiary. Northrop is scheduled to launch its second Mission Extension Vehicle, MEV-2, later this year, which will provide service to another Intelsat satellite.

Commenting on the breakthrough, Tom Wilson, president, SpaceLogistics LLC said, "Together, Northrop Grumman, SpaceLogistics LLC, and Intelsat have taken the first step in pioneering in-space logistics services for both commercial and government customers."

Luxembourg-headquartered Intelsat operates the world's largest and most advanced satellite fleet and connectivity infrastructure. Combining the world's largest satellite backbone with terrestrial infrastructure, managed services, and an open, interoperable architecture, it enables customers to reach through a new generation of network services.

The successful docking of #MEV1 will help us extend the life of Intelsat 901, a satellite that provides service to our enterprise networks and mobility services customers in the Americas, Europe and Africa. Learn more: https://t.co/JCQKEumxCG pic.twitter.com/L1fjnOKHMH

— Intelsat (@INTELSAT) February 26, 2020