WASHINGTON — Northrop Grumman’s SpaceLogistics subsidiary is eyeing a 2026 launch for its next-generation satellite maintenance vehicle, the Mission Robotic Vehicle (MRV). Equipped with robotic arms developed by the US Naval Research Laboratory (NRL), the MRV aims to extend the life of satellites in geostationary orbit more than 22,500 miles above Earth.

NRL announced Nov. 14 that the pair of robotic arms had completed crucial thermal vacuum testing and were now at Northrop’s Satellite Integration Facility in Dulles, Virginia. The weapons were developed under a Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) contract.

“This robotic payload promises to transform satellite operations in geostationary orbit, reducing costs for satellite operators and enabling capabilities far beyond those available to us today,” said Bruce Danly, director of the NRL search.

A wider range of services

SpaceLogistics uses the robotic arms for MRV as part of a partnership with DARPA. The company has already secured three clients for its MRV services — two satellites from Intelsat and one from Optus. These customers will receive Mission Extension Pods (MEP), propulsion reactors that can add approximately six years of operational life to aging satellites.

“There are about 500 satellites in GEO today and about 10 or more of them each year are reaching the end of their life because they are running out of fuel,” said SpaceLogistics President Rob Hauge. SpaceNews. The company hopes to attract additional commercial and government customers for MRV missions before and after the 2026 launch.

SpaceLogistics positions MRV as a versatile solution in the space services market, which includes satellite repair, repositioning and debris removal. The MRV’s robotic arms will enable more sophisticated tasks, such as detailed inspections and repairs as well as satellite movements, Hauge said.

“Our primary focus is on meeting our commitments to our existing customers, but we are engaged in ongoing discussions with other commercial and government operators interested in the advanced capabilities of MRV,” he said. The MRV will remain in orbit for several years.

Hauge said the MRV builds on Northrop Grumman’s experience with its Mission Extension Vehicles (MEVs), which successfully serviced two Intelsat communications satellites.

350 kilogram MEPs represent a more affordable option compared to much larger MEVs. Mission Expansion Modules, unlike MEVs, do not have their own rendezvous and docking systems, which helps keep costs down, Hauge explained. The pods will be launched into a transfer orbit and will use electric propulsion to reach a geosynchronous orbit, where they will dock with the MRV.

The MRV will then transport each pod to its client satellite, using one of the robotic arms to attach it to the client’s engine nozzle. Once installed, the MEP assumes propulsion responsibilities, maintaining the satellite’s orbital position and allowing necessary maneuvers without depleting its original fuel supply.

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