NewSpace International Magazine
“Having the ability to add five years or
SPACE DRONE. Photo courtesy Effective Space
Satellite life extension:
Servicing satellites in Space
Satellite lifetimes are largely dependent upon how much
fuel they have onboard. In what could be described as a
massive waste of technological capabilities and money,
many satellites are retired fully-functional, simply because
they’ve run out of fuel. Accordingly, satellite life extension
services, which promise next-generation space
capabilities, weigh heavily on the agenda for several
commercial and government space entities.
We all know that the satellite business is an expensive game to
be in; from design, manufacturing, insurance, launch and operations,
bringing a satellite to orbit and then operating it can easily cost
hundreds of millions of dollars. And yet, they only last 15 years or so;
at this point, the onboard fuel is more or less depleted, and the satellite
can no longer remain in its carefully-selected position. The critical
components needed for everyday operation are often still working as
designed after 15 years, so it can seem a bit of a waste to effectively
junk a multimillion dollar piece of equipment simply due to lack of fuel.
In an ideal world, we’d be able to refuel these satellites for extended
use, however, it is practically very difficult to achieve because of the
many different types of fuel valves available, and the fact that none
were designed to be operated robotically – something for the engineers
to consider in future satellite designs.
Nonetheless, the concept of satellite life extension is an attractive
and long-discussed one. Imagine the possibilities if an extra 5, 10 or
even 20 years of life could be eked out of an existing satellite, a satellite
already operating in orbit, and already paid for. Beyond the cost savings
and operational continuity, consider what it would mean for space
debris; According to the European Space Agency (ESA), there are
around 30,000 debris objects larger than 10cm, 60,000 objects larger
than 5cm, and around 750,000 objects larger than 1cm, in space. It’s
broadly agreed that the time to act on space debris is now. With fewer
satellites being launched due to satellite life extension services, debris
numbers would cease their exponential growth.
When it comes to satellite life extension, a ‘space tug’ is the
technology we’re looking at today. This separate spacecraft would be
able to dock with an existing satellite and take over station-keeping
duties, and in some cases, attitude control. No fuel would need to be
transferred, making in-space operations more facile, although it would
be less energy-efficient than refuelling because the tug would have to
keep both the satellite and its own mass in position. Industry experts
have pointed out that utilising electric thrusters on the space tug would
improve efficiency.
While most entities involved in the satellite life extension area are
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more on any particular satellite …
provides an enormous amount of fleet
flexibility. The economic value of this is
to enhance the revenue stream over
longer periods”
focusing on these space tugs, refuelling missions are also on the
agenda.
Orbital ATK to test MEV in 2018
Orbital ATK is getting in on the satellite life extension action via its
subsidiary, Space Logistics LLC, which plans to provide cooperative
in-orbit satellite life extension and manoeuvring services to
geosynchronous satellite operators using its Mission Extension Vehicle
(MEV). It will enable satellite operators to significantly extend satellite
mission life, activate new markets, drive asset value and protect their
franchises. According to Space Logistics LLC, the company will deliver
life extension services that are flexible, scalable, capital-efficient and
low-risk.
The MEV docks with customers’ existing satellites providing the
propulsion and attitude control needed to extend their lifetimes. Based
on a modified GEOStar 3 bus, the MEV will safely dock with almost all
(80 percent of geosynchronous satellites in orbit today)
geosynchronous satellites with minimal interruption to operations. To
do so, a suite of integrated proximity sensors is used to reliably and
safely rendezvous with the client satellite. The MEV then utilises a
simple mechanical docking system that attaches to existing features
on the client satellite creating a firm connection between the MEV
and the client satellite.
Once docked, the MEV will take over the attitude and orbit
maintenance of the combined vehicle stack to meet the pointing and
station keeping needs of the customer. When the customer no longer
requires the service, the MEV will undock and move away to begin
service for the next customer. The MEV provides a 15-year design life
and sufficient fuel to enable well in excess of 15 years of station kept
life while docked with a typical 2000kg geosynchronous satellite. The
rendezvous, proximity and docking systems of the MEV allow for
numerous docking and undocking during the life of the MEV.
The first order for one of Orbital ATK’s MEVs came in 2016, when
Intelsat placed an order to extend the service life of one of its satellites
for an additional five years. Orbital ATK’s spacecraft will first attach
itself to a defunct Intelsat satellite to demonstrate its capability to
attach itself. It will then undock, fly to a currently-unidentified operational
Intelsat spacecraft that is running low on fuel and reattach itself, kicking
off a five-year service contract with Intelsat.
“Having the ability to add five years or more on any particular
satellite … provides an enormous amount of fleet flexibility. The
economic value of this is to enhance the revenue stream over longer
periods,” said Intelsat Chief Executive Stephen Spengler. Once Intelsat
is finished with the MEV, it can move on to service another customer’s
satellite, Tom Wilson, President of Orbital ATK’s Space Logistics, told
Reuters.
Later, in January 2018, Orbital ATK was awarded a contract for a
second MEV, MEV-2, to provide life extension services for another
Intelsat satellite. Orbital ATK is currently producing MEV-1, with launch
scheduled for late 2018. Under this new agreement, Orbital ATK will
manufacture, test and launch MEV-2 and begin mission extension
services in mid-2020.
“Work on MEV-1 is progressing rapidly toward a late 2018 launch
with system-level testing beginning this spring,” said Wilson. “With the
launch of MEV-2, Orbital ATK will continue to pioneer in-space satellite
servicing for commercial operators. Intelsat’s commitment to a second
MEV demonstrates not only the market demand for our servicing
vehicles, but also the customer’s confidence in our product.”
“Intelsat was an early proponent of the potential for mission
extension technology,” said Ken Lee, Intelsat’s Senior Vice President
of Space Systems. “In-orbit life extension, such as that provided by
our two contracts with Orbital ATK, provides additional flexibility to
our fleet management, allowing us to direct capital to new satellites
while continuing to generate economic value from satellites in orbit.
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 NewSpace International Magazine

Effective Space. “As the space support ecosystem establishes, there

is no reason for space hardware to be expected to be entirely self-
sufficient any longer. Our technology enables satellite owners to
maximise the lifespan of their hardware, and run expensive fuel
resources to zero before decommissioning. This will be one of the first
commercial mission contracts of in-orbit servicing, in which we will
prove customer value, solution viability and the ability to deliver within
international regulation and legislation.”
Effective Space has secured private capital over two rounds of
funding since 2013, and in 2018 is seeking Series B funding.

DARPA to make house calls in space

The US Government’s Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency
(DARPA) has launched the Robotic Servicing of Geosynchronous
Satellites (RSGS) programme in order to develop technologies that
would enable cooperative inspection and servicing in GEO and
demonstrate those technologies on orbit within the next five years.
Early in 2017, DARPA selected Space Systems Loral (SSL) as its
commercial partner for the RSGS programme. The two entities will
share costs and responsibilities for the programme. DARPA plans to
develop a robotic module, including hardware and software, and provide
technical expertise and a government-funded launch. SSL will provide
a spacecraft and will be responsible for integrating the module onto it
to create a robotic servicing vehicle (RSV) and the RSV onto the launch
vehicle, as well as providing a mission operations centre and staff.
RSGS GEO Robotic Servicing Vehicle (RSV) After a successful on-orbit demonstration of the RSV, SSL will
operate the vehicle and make cooperative servicing available to both
We look forward to our continued collaboration with Orbital ATK on military and commercial GEO satellite owners on a fee-for-service
commercializing this important new service.” basis. In exchange for providing property to SSL, the US Government
The work performed on MEV-2 will span multiple locations across would obtain reduced-priced servicing of its satellites and access to
the company. Orbital ATK’s spacecraft components division will be commercial satellite servicing data throughout the operational life of
responsible for manufacturing the structures, propellant tanks and solar the RSV. The capabilities that RSGS aims to make possible include:
arrays at the company’s locations in San Diego and Goleta, California.
The Rendezvous, Proximity Operations and Docking (RPOD) • High-resolution inspection;
laboratory, located at the company’s headquarters in Dulles, Virginia, • Correction of some types of mechanical anomalies, such as solar
will test the sensors, actuators and control algorithms that allow the array and antenna deployment malfunctions;
MEV to approach and dock with the client spacecraft. • Assistance with relocation and other orbital manoeuvres;
Looking to the future, Space Logistics LLC aims to establish a • Installation of attachable payloads, enabling upgrades or entirely
fleet of MEV based satellite-servicing vehicles in GEO that can address new capabilities for existing assets; and
almost any servicing need. Orbital ATK is investing significant internal • Refuelling.
capital and, through a NASA Space Act Agreement, working with US
Government agencies to develop and implement new capabilities for “Servicing on orbit could provide significant cost savings compared
the MEV fleet. These include next-generation life extension and repair to current practices and a major advantage to the security of both
vehicles, in-orbit assembly of large space structures and cargo delivery commercial and Government space assets,” said Gordon Roesler,
and related services to deep space gateways, such as in lunar orbit. DARPA’s Program Manager for RSGS. “The engineering challenges
that need to be overcome to achieve this degree of facility at GEO are
Effective Space prepares the SPACE DRONE
UK-based Effective Space Solutions Ltd, founded in 2013, has
developed the SPACE DRONE, essentially a space tug-based
spacecraft which docks to a host satellite with a patent-pending
universal non-intrusive docking system, to deliver station-keeping and
attitude-control capabilities that will extend the life of the satellites by
several years.
Weighing in at less than 400kg, SPACE DRONE is equipped with
electric thrusters and a non-invasive universal docking system that
allows for docking with almost all the 400+ communications satellites
currently in orbit. The spacecraft are rideshare-launch compatible and
capable of multiple missions during their design life span of up to 15
years. Effective Space’s initial focus for the SPACE DRONE is on
station-keeping and attitude-control, relocation, deorbiting, orbit and
inclination correction and ‘bringing into use’ (BIU), however, they could
equally be deployed in the future for space active debris removal, the
support of low or medium Earth orbit constellations and in-space
explorations, mining and manufacturing logistics.
Effective Space has signed several Memorandum of Understanding
(MoU) agreements with satellite operators in the last couple of years,
including most recently in January 2018, when it signed a more than
US$100 million multi-year contract with an unnamed major regional
satellite operator. The agreement will see two Effective Space SPACE
DRONE spacecraft launched in 2020, to provide station-keeping and
attitude-control capabilities to significantly extend the life of two
communication satellites.
“We are seeing steady growth in the number of satellite launches
per year, but little progress has been made in increasing the life span NASA, too, is moving forwards with its robotic
of this space hardware,” said Arie Halsband, Founder and CEO at satellite servicing plan, the Restore-L mission.

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 NewSpace International Magazine
considerable, entailing significant technical risks but also carrying the
potential for significant rewards. In addition to inspection and repair,
RSGS robotics promise a new era in which satellite upgrades and
enhancements at GEO are no longer just a dream.”
The program is designed to demonstrate a suite of capabilities
critical to national security and not currently available or anticipated
to be offered commercially in the near term, including ultra-close
inspection, repair of mechanical anomalies, and installation of technical
packages on the exterior of US satellites, all of which require highly
dexterous robotic arms. DARPA has already designed and created
the required robotic arms. DARPA also intends to provide the
Government-developed space robotics technology to other interested
US space corporations. Qualified companies would be able to obtain
and license the technology through cooperative research and
development agreements.
Separately, DARPA has solicited research to develop and publish
consensus operational safety standards for on-orbit rendezvous and
proximity operations (RPO) and robotic servicing operations. The
awardee would establish and manage the Consortium for Execution
of Rendezvous and Servicing Operations (CONFERS), which would
include both private sector and government technical experts. Through
Space Logistic's MEV core structure is in production
at Orbital ATK’s Spacecraft Components Division
facility in San Diego, California.
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CONFERS, DARPA aims to establish an industry/government forum
composed of experts from throughout the space community. The forum
would develop non-binding, consensus-derived technical and safety
standards for on-orbit servicing operations, and help create definitions
and expectations of responsible behaviour in outer space.
“As the worldwide space industry expands and access to space
becomes more routine, the need for norms of behaviour - the ‘rules of
the road’ - will become increasingly important to preserve the ability
of companies and government agencies to safely operate their space
systems,” said Bradford Tousley, Director of DARPA’s Tactical
Technology Office. “With these two high-value DARPA programs, we
hope to accelerate the development of norms of operation supporting
a robust space servicing capability, which in turn could radically
transform the way we build and operate satellites and, in time, enable
future large-scale logistics and construction in the GEO environment.”
June 2017 revealed that SES will be the first commercial customer
to benefit from the DARPA/SSL satellite refuelling service, and will be
able to activate the service whenever required with minimal disruption
to spacecraft operation. The agreement also includes an option for
further life extension missions.
SES will work with Space Infrastructure Services (SIS), launched
in June 2017 by SSL MDA Holdings, which will commercialise satellite
servicing capabilities.
“Satellite in-orbit servicing is of upmost importance to next-
generation architectures for communications satellites. It enables
satellite operators like us to have more flexibility in managing our fleet
and meeting our customers’ demands,” said Martin Halliwell, Chief
Technology Officer at SES. “After witnessing the due diligence of SSL’s
and MDA’s technical expertise, we are confident that its new venture
is the best partner in the refuelling mission field, and will be able to
help SES get more value out of an on-orbit satellite.”
The satellite servicing spacecraft vehicle is planned for launch in
2021.
NASA anticipates Restore-L mission launch
NASA, too, is moving forwards with its robotic satellite servicing plan,
the Restore-L mission. The plan will see the launch of a robotic
spacecraft in 2020 to refuel a live government-owned satellite, Landsat
7, in low Earth orbit (LEO).
Beyond refuelling, the Restore-L mission also plans to test other
crosscutting technologies that have applications for several critical
upcoming NASA missions. As the Restore-L servicer rendezvous with,
grasps, refuels, and relocates a client spacecraft, NASA will be
checking important items off its technology checklist that puts humans
closer to exploration on Mars. Restore-L technologies include an
autonomous relative navigation system with supporting avionics, and
dexterous robotic arms and software. The suite is completed by a tool
drive that supports a collection of sophisticated robotic tools for robotic
spacecraft refuelling, and a propellant transfer system that delivers
measured amounts of fuel at the proper temperature, rate, and
pressure.
Future candidate applications for individual Restore-L technologies
include on-orbit manufacturing and assembly, propellant depots,
observatory servicing, and orbital debris management. NASA is also
directly applying several Restore-L technologies to the Asteroid
Redirect Mission.
The robotic vehicle of NASA’s Asteroid Redirect Mission directly
leverages Restore-L’s autonomous rendezvous system, avionics,
dexterous robotics and software, and tool drive and other systems.
This mission is being designed to be refuellable.
NASA’s second objective for Restore-L is to infuse its technologies
to domestic commercial entities to help jumpstart a new, competitive
industry in robotic satellite servicing, an area ripe with possibility.
“Restore-L effectively breaks the paradigm of one-and-done spacecraft”
said Frank Cepollina, Associate director of the Satellite Servicing
Capabilities Office (SSCO). “It introduces new ways to robotically
manage, upgrade and prolong the lifespans of our costly orbiting
national assets. By doing so, Restore-L opens up expanded options
for more resilient, efficient and cost-effective operations in space.”
According to NASA, the transfer of Restore-L technologies to
interested domestic entities is expected help spur the arrival of
commercial life extension and repair offerings. The Restore-L mission
could reportedly also help decrease the risk for future servicing
ventures and establish a global precedence for safe rendezvous
operations in orbit.
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