SpaceLogistics, a subsidiary of American defense company Northrop Grumman, plans to launch a Robotic Mission Vehicle (MRV) satellite in 2026. It will be equipped with robotic arms developed by the US Naval Research Laboratory. MRV should extend the service life of vehicles in geostationary orbit.
The future satellite’s robotic arms recently passed critical thermovacuum testing and are currently located at Northrop Grumman’s Satellite Integration Facility in Dulles, Virginia. The manipulators were created under a contract with the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA).
SpaceLogistics positions MRV as a universal solution in the space services market that includes satellite repair, repositioning and space debris removal.
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