A two-armed space robot launched Tuesday on a private mission to attach jetpacks to satellites that are running low on fuel, extending their operational life.
The mission, conducted by Northrop Grumman and launched by SpaceX, is part of a growing effort to conserve spacecraft and save costs.
The robotic vehicle, dubbed MRV, and its three electric-propelled jetpacks will spend approximately a year traveling to a geosynchronous orbit 22,300 miles (36,000 kilometers) above Earth. Once in place by mid-2027, the minivan-sized MRV will use its 10-foot (9-meter) arms to attach the jetpacks to aging communication satellites. The robot will then proceed to two more satellites in need.
Each jetpack, roughly the size of a washing machine, is designed to provide the necessary propulsion for a satellite to continue operating for several additional years, avoiding costly retirement and replacement.
This endeavor marks Northrop Grumman's latest involvement in satellite servicing. The company previously launched spacecraft in 2019 and 2020 that attached to and repositioned failing communication satellites, granting them extended service lives.
Future iterations of the robotic vehicles are envisioned to perform repairs, relocate operational satellites, and even remove defunct satellites from crowded orbits. Northrop Grumman is collaborating on this technology with the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory and the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency.
This satellite-saving effort follows closely on the heels of another recent mission. Earlier this month, on July 3, a three-armed spacecraft from another company launched to boost NASA's Swift Observatory, which was at risk of crashing to Earth.
Katalyst Space Technologies is currently testing its Link satellite helper in orbit before it attempts to assist the Swift Observatory. Flight controllers have been working to overcome initial communication and pointing issues with the Link spacecraft by transmitting software updates.
The Swift telescope, launched in 2004, has been descending faster than anticipated due to recent solar activity. A boost from the Link spacecraft in the coming weeks could provide the nearly $400 million gamma-ray observatory with many more years of studying cosmic explosions.
NASA is providing Katalyst Space Technologies with $30 million to elevate the Swift observatory to its original altitude of 373 miles (600 kilometers). Northrop Grumman provided the launch vehicle for the Link spacecraft, utilizing a Pegasus rocket deployed from a plane.