Naomi Cooper
Northrop Grumman‘s Space Logistics subsidiary will provide an additional mission extension pod to extend the life of an unidentified Intelsat-built commercial communications satellite operating in geosynchronous orbit for at least six years.
The MEP jet pack marks Intelsat’s fourth satellite servicing vehicle order with the Northrop business to add life to its GEO satellites, the satellite operator said Tuesday.
Intelsat also ordered a single fuel pod in April for one of its satellites. The two additional pods will launch into space using Space Logistics’ mission robotic vehicle servicer in 2026.
Space Logistics previously docked a pair of fuel pods on two Intelsat satellites as part of a five-year life-extension contract with the spacecraft developer.
The first pod was docked to Intelsat’s IS-901 satellite in February 2020, while the second mission extension vehicle was installed into Intelsat 10-02 in 2021. Both MEVs will extend the satellites’ life for another five years.
