MEV-1 Makes History with First Commercial Satellite Undocking

Northrop Grumman has written a new chapter in the history of space exploration. Its Mission Extension Vehicle 1 (MEV-1) successfully performed the first undocking between two commercial satellites in geosynchronous Earth orbit (GEO), marking the beginning of a new era for commercial space operations.

Developed and operated by SpaceLogistics LLC, a Northrop Grumman subsidiary, MEV-1 had already made history on February 25, 2020, when it docked with the decommissioned Intelsat IS-901 communications satellite in GEO, 36,000 kilometers from Earth.

The Unlikely Retirement of Intelsat IS-901

Interestingly, the US$250 million satellite had no technical failures, even after 15 years of operation.They retired it simply because it ran out of fuel, which prevented it from maintaining its orbit and attitude control.

Instead of discarding a perfectly functioning piece of hardware, Northrop developed the MEV to extend the life of satellites no longer in service, including those that were never designed with docking mechanisms.

MEV-1 used a special probe to attach to the main engine nozzle of IS-901, took over propulsion and attitude control, and reactivated the satellite, putting it back to work.

Although this sounds straightforward, the operation involved complex engineering. Rendezvousing with a satellite in GEO using a robotic spacecraft requires matching orbits, inspecting the target, orienting for docking — a process that took three months. The spacecraft had to approach slowly and carefully, aligning precisely, extending manipulator arms to grab onto the satellite’s rocket nozzle in a delicate and intricate operation.

Not only did the 2020 docking succeed, but MEV-1 also demonstrated its ability to keep IS-901 in service for another five years. On April 9, 2025, before undocking, the vehicle moved the satellite to a graveyard orbit where it would not pose any risk to navigation.

MEV-1 is now heading toward another satellite for docking. Meanwhile, MEV-2 will remain docked to Intelsat 10-02 for another four years before moving on to its next mission.

Commercial Space Operations: A New Era

These missions represent more than just technological achievements; they signal the future of commercial space operations. Spacecraft like MEV are opening up a new market for satellite life-extension, recovery, and servicing, preventing satellites from becoming space debris.

In the future, engineers are likely to design new satellites to interact with service vehicles like the MEV. These next-generation MEVs will not only act as propulsion modules but will also refuel, repair, and even disassemble satellites to salvage components for reuse in new satellites, all without returning them to Earth.

As this technology evolves, space salvage laws may need to be updated accordingly.

A Vision for the Future of Space-Based Operations

“The pioneering technology that extended a satellite’s life is paving the way for an entire infrastructure of future on-orbit satellite servicing missions for a variety of customers,” said Rob Hauge, president of Space Logistics. “We continue to invest in next-generation capabilities to deliver the most advanced and technologically sophisticated servicing to sustain and enhance the value of existing and future space-based assets.”

Read the original article on: New Atlas

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