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DULLES, Va. – Feb. 26, 2020 – Northrop Grumman Company (NYSE: NOC) and the corporate’s wholly-owned subsidiary, SpaceLogistics LLC, have effectively finished the primary docking of the Challenge Extension Automobile-1 (MEV-1) to the Intelsat 901 (IS-901) spacecraft with a purpose to supply life-extension services and products. This historical accomplishment marks the primary time two business satellites have docked in orbit and the primary time that undertaking extension services and products shall be presented to a satellite tv for pc in geosynchronous orbit.
MEV-1, introduced Oct. nine, 2019, just lately finished its orbit elevating to an orbit roughly 180 miles above geosynchronous orbit. IS-901 is a completely operational communique satellite tv for pc this is working low on gasoline. Intelsat (NYSE: I) got rid of 901 from provider in December 2019, shifting shoppers to different satellites in its in depth fleet, with a purpose to carry its orbit to the similar altitude as MEV-1 in preparation for docking. MEV-1 then finished the historical docking with IS-901 on February 25 at 2:15 a.m. ET. The mixed spacecraft stack will now carry out on-orbit checkouts prior to MEV-1 starts relocating the mixed car to go back IS-901 into provider in overdue March.
“Our Challenge Extension Automobile supplies an cutting edge, satellite tv for pc existence extension provider,” stated Tom Wilson, president, SpaceLogistics LLC. “In combination, Northrop Grumman, SpaceLogistics LLC and Intelsat have taken step one in pioneering in-space logistics services and products for each business and govt shoppers.”
“Intelsat has been at the leading edge of innovation and game-changing area era for many years. Pushing the bounds of what’s conceivable is in our DNA right here – that’s why we didn’t hesitate to enroll to be MEV-1’s first buyer,” stated Mike DeMarco, govt vice chairman and leader services and products officer at Intelsat. “We’re proud to make historical past with SpaceLogistics LLC and Northrop Grumman in this groundbreaking area milestone.”
Beneath the phrases of the contract with Intelsat, MEV-1 will supply 5 years of existence extension services and products to the IS-901 satellite tv for pc prior to returning the spacecraft to a last decommissioning orbit. MEV-1 will then transfer on to offer undertaking extension services and products to a brand new consumer spacecraft.
MEV-1 used to be designed and constructed on the Northrop Grumman’s Dulles, Virginia, facility and makes use of a low-risk mechanical docking machine that attaches to current options at the consumer satellite tv for pc. As soon as docked, MEV takes over the perspective and orbit upkeep of the mixed car stack to satisfy the pointing and station preserving necessities of the buyer. MEV is designed for more than one docking and undockings and will ship over 15 years of existence extension services and products. The corporate is scheduled to release its 2d Challenge Extension Automobile, MEV-2, later this 12 months, which is shriveled to offer provider to another Intelsat satellite tv for pc.
This existence extension provider is solely step one in an expansive era construction plan. The corporate’s imaginative and prescient is to determine a fleet of satellite tv for pc servicing automobiles that no longer best prolong the lifetime of satellites, however supply different services and products equivalent to inclination adjustments and spacecraft inspections, in addition to use complex robotics era to accomplish further purposes equivalent to in-orbit restore and meeting.
Because the foundational architects of satellite tv for pc era, Intelsat operates the arena’s biggest and maximum complex satellite tv for pc fleet and connectivity infrastructure. We practice our unprecedented experience and international scale to attach folks, companies and communities, regardless of how tricky the problem. Intelsat is uniquely located to assist our shoppers flip probabilities into truth – transformation occurs when companies, governments and communities use Intelsat’s next-generation international community and controlled services and products to construct their attached long run.
