A Northrop Grumman satellite-servicing spacecraft has undocked from a communications satellite after completing its second life-extension assignment in orbit, the company said in a news release Thursday.
The spacecraft, Mission Extension Vehicle-1 (MEV-1), separated from the Optus D3 satellite, according to the release. Northrop Grumman did not specify the exact undocking date or Optus D3’s orbital location in the release.
MEV-1 and a sister spacecraft, MEV-2, have performed satellite-servicing missions since 2020, according to the release. Northrop Grumman has since added the Mission Robotic Vehicle, which the company says launched recently, and Mission Extension Pods to its in-space servicing lineup.
The release did not include direct quotes from company officials, customers or independent analysts. It also did not disclose financial terms of the Optus D3 servicing arrangement, the satellite’s owner at the time of docking, or how long MEV-1 remained attached before this undocking.
Northrop Grumman referred reporters to a fact sheet on the MEV program for additional technical detail. The release was issued as a photo release, with an accompanying image of Optus D3 taken by MEV-1’s onboard camera.