The Northrop Grumman-owned company’s launch of the Mission Robotic Vehicle and Mission Extension Pods will mark a new era in on-orbit satellite servicingDULLES, Va. – Feb. 21, 2022 – Northrop Grumman Corporation’s (NYSE: NOC) SpaceLogistics today announced a launch agreement for its Mission Robotic Vehicle (MRV) spacecraft, and the sale of its first Mission Extension Pod (MEP).SpaceLogistics Announces Launch Agreement with SpaceX and First Mission Extension Pod Contract with Optus_1MRV approaching commercial satellite for MEP installationUnder the launch agreement, SpaceX will provide launch services for a planned spring 2024 launch of the MRV and several MEPs. Optus, Australia’s largest satellite owner and operator, recently completed a purchase agreement with SpaceLogistics for installation of one of the MEPs on its D3 satellite in 2025.“Our contracts with SpaceX and Optus are tangible evidence of our momentum and commitment to deliver second-generation on-orbit servicing technologies to the satellite industry.” said Vice President of Business Development for SpaceLogistics Joseph Anderson. “We are thrilled to have Optus as our premier MEP customer as we continue pioneering the future of space and expanding the realm of what is possible with on-orbit servicing and sustainment.”The launch will mark the first time a robotic-capable spacecraft will ascend into space to provide persistent robotic servicing capabilities in geostationary orbit (GEO). The MRV will perform a series of on-orbit tests of its robotic-arm payload as it carries out its primary mission, installing MEPs on commercial satellites. The MEP, a small customer-owned, customer-controlled propulsion augmentation device, can provide six years of life extension for a typical 2,000 kg satellite in GEO.“Optus’ partnership with SpaceLogistics will leverage their cutting edge MRV & MEP capability to increase the life of Optus’ D3 satellite. This innovative move along with the future launch of Optus 11 will benefit our customers.” said Ben White, managing director, wholesale, satellite and strategy at Optus.
The mission in 2024 will launch the MRV — a 3,000 kilogram spacecraft — and three MEPs, each about 400 kilograms. The MRV and MEPs will be released from the launch vehicle, independently deploy and raise themselves to a geostationary orbit using solar electric propulsion.
Intelsat orders another refueling mission from Northrop Grumman’s SpaceLogisticsThe launch of the company’s Mission Robotic Vehicle is now targeted for early 2025June 20, 2023SpaceLogistics, a satellite-servicing firm owned by Northrop Grumman, announced June 20 it has three confirmed orders for its refueling pods that will fly to orbit on servicing missions in 2025.[...]SpaceLogistics had previously projected a 2024 launch for the MRV. The company said June 20 that both the MRV and MEPs have completed their critical design reviews and are proceeding toward a planned 2025 launch aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket. [...]
On-orbit servicing mission planned for military satellite in 2025A robotic servicing vehicle will rendezvous with a military satellite and attach an imaging payloadMarch 27, 2024In a mission targeted for 2025, a robot satellite in geostationary orbit around 22,000 miles above Earth will rendezvous with a military satellite and attempt to affix a new imaging sensor payload on the spacecraft.The servicing vehicle [...] will seek to connect the payload to the satellite’s launch adapter ring. This ring, which originally connected the satellite to its rocket during launch, will provide the attach point for an electro-optical imaging sensor payload developed by the startup Katalyst Space Technologies.[...]The Mission Robotics Vehicle (MRV) that will perform this mission is being built by Northrop Grumman’s subsidiary SpaceLogistics.[...]The military customer for the sensor upgrade mission is the Space Force’s Delta 11 unit that conducts training exercises and wargames. The Pentagon’s Test Resource Management Center co-funded the project with DIU.[...]
Northrop Grumman One Step Closer to Delivering Mission Robotic Vehicle for On-Orbit Satellite Servicing MissionsNovember 14, 2024DULLES, Va. – Nov. 14, 2024 – Northrop Grumman Corporation’s (NYSE: NOC) SpaceLogistics LLC has received the robotics payload from the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory (NRL), including two robotic arms and electronics, for its Mission Robotic Vehicle (MRV). The delivery brings the company one step closer to delivering the first commercial spacecraft with robotic servicing capabilities for commercial and government satellites. In geosynchronous earth orbit (22,500 miles above Earth), MRV will inspect, relocate, repair and offer other in-space servicing missions, including the installation of the company’s Mission Extension Pods to sustain existing capabilities on-orbit. Once the robotics payload, developed for the Defense Advanced Research Project Agency's Robotic Servicing of Geosynchronous Satellites program, is fully integrated, the completed MRV spacecraft will go through environmental testing to validate its performance in space.“We are creating an in-space servicing infrastructure that has never existed before. Our successful experience in rendezvous, proximity operations and docking has laid the foundation for this critical next step in creating a more sustainable model for future satellite operations,” said Rob Hauge, president, SpaceLogistics.
Northrop Grumman’s SpaceLogistics subsidiary is eyeing a 2026 launch for its next-generation satellite servicing vehicle, the Mission Robotic Vehicle (MRV). Equipped with robotic arms developed by the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory (NRL), the MRV aims to extend the lifespan of satellites in geostationary orbit more than 22,500 miles above Earth.NRL announced Nov. 14 that the pair of robotic arms completed crucial thermal vacuum testing and are now at Northrop’s satellite integration facility in Dulles, Virginia. The arms were developed under a Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) contract.“This robotic payload promises to transform satellite operations in geostationary orbit, reduce costs for satellite operators, and enable capabilities well beyond what we have today,” said NRL’s director of research Bruce Danly.Broader range of servicesSpaceLogistics is using the robotic arms for the MRV under a partnership with DARPA. The company has already secured three customers for its MRV services — two satellites from Intelsat and one from Optus. These clients will receive Mission Extension Pods (MEPs), propulsion jet packs that can add approximately six years of operational life to aging satellites.
We delivered seven Structural, Power, and Data Ports to the @USNRL in partnership with @DARPA. The SPDP, part of the Robotic Servicing of Geosynchronous Satellites Integrated Robotic Payload, has completed Thermal Vacuum testing for a 2026 launch with the Mission Robotic Vehicle.
Northrop Grumman Successfully Integrates Spacecraft for Next-Generation Space Robotic Servicing SystemNorthrop Grumman integrated the robotics payload, developed by the Naval Research Laboratory (NRL), onto its Mission Robotics Vehicle at the company’s Dulles, Virginia facility.June 5, 2025Northrop Grumman Corporation’s (NYSE: NOC) SpaceLogistics LLC has integrated a robotics payload onto its Mission Robotic Vehicle (MRV) spacecraft bus, achieving another milestone for its MRV and the Defense Advanced Research Project Agency's Robotic Servicing of Geosynchronous Satellites (RSGS) program. The sophisticated robotics of the MRV builds on the company’s proven satellite servicing technology. Integrating the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory’s robotics payload onto MRV brings SpaceLogistics closer to delivering the first commercial spacecraft with robotic servicing capabilities for commercial and government satellites in geosynchronous earth orbit. Next, it will go through environmental testing to validate its performance in space.[...]
After successful completion of spacecraft integration, we have shipped the Mission Robotics Vehicle to @USNRL for thermal vacuum testing. With each milestone we are closer to delivering the first commercial spacecraft with robotic servicing capabilities for commercial and government satellites. #SatShow2025
The U.S. Naval Research Laboratory (NRL), in partnership with and with funding support from the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) and Northrop Grumman’s SpaceLogistics, has reached a historic milestone in satellite servicing technology, completing on Sept. 5 a critical round of space-readiness testing on a robotic spacecraft designed to extend and upgrade satellites already in orbit. The testing, known as thermal vacuum (TVAC), confirmed the Robotic Servicing of Geosynchronous Satellites (RSGS) payload integrated with the Northrop Grumman SpaceLogistics Mission Robotic Vehicle (MRV) spacecraft bus can withstand the punishing heat, cold, and vacuum conditions of space. With the test complete, the system will be sent back to Northrop Grumman for final checks before shipment to the launch site. “This is more than a successful test, we are nearing the culmination of decades of work and partnership that began as a vision for on-orbit servicing and it’s exciting to be so close to this technology being space-qualified and ready for flight,” said Bernard Kelm, acting director of the Naval Center for Space Technology. “The partnership between NRL’s spacecraft engineering expertise, DARPA’s vision, and Northrop Grumman’s commercial space operations expertise have built a system that will transform how we think about satellite operations in geosynchronous orbit.”From idea to spaceflight hardwareThe Robotic Servicing of Geosynchronous Satellites (RSGS) payload integrated with the Northrop Grumman Mission Robotics Vehicle (MRV) spacecraft bus moves into the cryogenic thermal vacuum chamber for testing at the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory’s (NRL) Naval Center for Space Technology (NCST) in Washington, D.C., July 24, 2025. NRL NCST, with funding support from the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), is conducting final space-readiness testing on RSGS, a robotic payload designed to extend and upgrade satellites already in orbit.The RSGS program is the result of over 20 years of research and development at NRL, aimed at creating robotic systems capable of repairing and upgrading satellites in geosynchronous orbit, roughly 22,000 miles above Earth. As a public private partnership between DARPA and Northrop Grumman’s SpaceLogistics the NRL-developed robotic servicing payload is designed to enable close inspections, orbital adjustments, hardware upgrades, and even in-orbit repairs. “The completion of spacecraft thermal vacuum testing marks the most critical milestone of recognizing the NRL-developed payload and MRV are capable of working together as a system,” said Dr. Bruce Danly, NRL director of research. “This capability has the potential to extend satellite lifespans, reduce costs, and further enable entirely new types of missions.” A new era of space resilienceUntil now, satellites have been built with costly backup systems because they could not be repaired or upgraded once launched. RSGS changes that equation. “This program has always been about more than hardware, it’s about the collaboration and dedication of an extraordinary team,” said Jim Barnds, NRL RSGS program manager. “NRL not only engineered the robotic payload and its components but also shaped the mission design, flight operations, and detailed modeling and simulation that make this capability viable for both government and commercial operations.”The Robotic Servicing of Geosynchronous Satellites (RSGS) payload integrated with the Northrop Grumman Mission Robotics Vehicle (MRV) spacecraft bus sits in the cryogenic thermal vacuum chamber for testing at the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory’s (NRL) Naval Center for Space Technology (NCST) in Washington, D.C., July 28, 2025. NRL NCST, with funding support from the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), is conducting final space-readiness testing on RSGS, a robotic payload designed to extend and upgrade satellites already in orbit.“As the payload heads toward launch, we’re proud to see years of effort turn into a capability where the spacecraft and payload will enable over a decade of servicing opportunities”, Barnds said. “This is going to change the way the world approaches space operations,” he added. NRL scientists and engineers spent years maturing the technology and working on the engineering design for this mission. RSGS is designed with Department of Defense reliability standards, including redundant robotic arms, avionics, and mission tools. The system carries a sophisticated Rendezvous and Proximity Operations suite with multiple cameras, sensors, and infrared imaging to allow safe approach and servicing to client satellites. Two robotic arms, equipped with lights, cameras, and tool changers, will execute capture, inspection, and upgrade tasks using specialized tools with the capability of adding new tools after launch if needed. By enabling routine service, it promises longer lifespans, lower costs, and new opportunities for innovation in space infrastructure. Looking ahead to launch The Robotic Servicing of Geosynchronous Satellites (RSGS) payload integrated with the Northrop Grumman Mission Robotics Vehicle (MRV) spacecraft bus sits outside the cryogenic thermal vacuum chamber after completing testing at the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory’s (NRL) Naval Center for Space Technology (NCST) in Washington, D.C., Sept. 4, 2025. NRL NCST, with funding support from the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), is conducting final space-readiness testing on RSGS, a robotic payload designed to extend and upgrade satellites already in orbit.Following completion of TVAC at NRL, the spacecraft will undergo final integrated systems testing this Fall at Northrop Grumman’s facility in Dulles, Virginia. Once in orbit, the MRV and payload will enter checkout before beginning proximity operations, rendezvous, and client servicing demonstrations. Tasks will range from anomaly resolution and orbit modification to upgrades and inspections, proving the ability to extend and enhance satellite service life. With launch preparations starting soon, RSGS is poised to demonstrate its robotic capabilities in orbit for the first time, marking the beginning of a new era in resilient space operations.
Rising demand and falling costs clear path for satellite servicingOctober 29, 2025[...]A more advanced capability, the multi-armed Mission Robotic Vehicle, will launch in early 2026, said senior Northrop Grumman fellow Andrew Kwas.[...]
The Space Force is betting the private sector can provide these capabilities, and all four missions scheduled for 2026 aim to demonstrate not just the technology but the business case, as well.
SpaceLogstics has developed its own Mission Recovery Vehicle to bridge service satellites in GEO. Equipped with an autonomous robot arm developed by the Naval Research Laboratory, and funded with DARPA money, Space Logistics will launch an MRV next year to demonstrate Robotic Servicing of Geosynchronous Satellites (RSGS). Under that program, MRV will recover a satellite and reposition it in orbit, and then, using its robotic arm, capture and install a Mission Extension Pod, attaching it to the existing satellite and giving the satellite a new lease on life, with freedom to maneuver. Hauge said once in space, the MRV can “do that again and again and again,” extending the profitable life of aging satellites. The MRV can also be used for “anomaly resolution,” said James Shoemaker, DARPA program manager for RSGS. In other words: it can repair systems.
MEP-1 [Mission Extension Pod-1]
MEP-2
MEP-3
SAT-LOA-20260106-00007 [Jan 6]QuoteMEP-1 [Mission Extension Pod-1]SAT-LOA-20260106-00008QuoteMEP-2SAT-LOA-20260106-00009QuoteMEP-3Technical Annex, Narrative and Schedule can be accessed with an FCC account.
The first three MEPs (i.e., MEP-1, MEP-2 and MEP-3) are currently scheduled for launch into GTO between the second and fourth quarter of 2026 on a SpaceX Falcon 9 together with MRV-1.
