{"id":49135,"date":"2020-02-26T23:52:25","date_gmt":"2020-02-26T23:52:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/defensenews\/uncategorized\/2020\/02\/26\/is-this-the-beginning-of-on-orbit-satellite-servicing\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T18:24:05","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T18:24:05","slug":"is-this-the-beginning-of-on-orbit-satellite-servicing","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/defensenews\/space\/2020\/02\/26\/is-this-the-beginning-of-on-orbit-satellite-servicing\/","title":{"rendered":"Is this the beginning of on orbit satellite servicing?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

A Northrop Grumman space vehicle successfully docked with a commercial satellite communications satellite Feb. 25, marking the first time two commercial satellites have docked on orbit, the company announced Feb. 26.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

SpaceLogistics LLC, a Northrop Grumman subsidiary, plans to use its Mission Extension Vehicle-1 to provide life extension services to Intelsat 901, a communications satellite. The docking is the first iteration of the company\u2019s new satellite life-extension service.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Pentagon is interested in exploring the company\u2019s new services. The Space and Missile Systems Center awarded SpaceLogistics a contract through the Space Enterprise Consortium in July to study the possibility of servicing four national security satellites on orbit<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\t