Mission Extension Vehicle
Encyclopedia
The Mission Extension Vehicle (MEV)
is a spacecraft
concept proposed by ViviSat, a 50/50 joint venture of aerospace firms U.S. Space and ATK
, to operate as a small-scale in-space satellite-refueling spacecraft
.
(SIS) vehicle from MDA. However, the two vehicles will operate with different technology approaches. ViviSat will connect to the target satellite in the same way as MDA SIS, but will not transfer fuel. It will rather use "its own thrusters to supply attitude control
for the target."
ViviSat believes their approach is more simple and can operate at lower cost than MDA, while having the technical ability to dock with "90% of the 450 or so geostationary
satellites in orbit," whereas MDA SIS can dock to only 75%.
"In addition to extending the life of an out-of-fuel satellite, the company could also rescue fueled spacecraft like AEHF-1
by docking with it in its low orbit, using its own motor and fuel to place it in the right orbit, and then moving to another target."
is a spacecraft
Spacecraft
A spacecraft or spaceship is a craft or machine designed for spaceflight. Spacecraft are used for a variety of purposes, including communications, earth observation, meteorology, navigation, planetary exploration and transportation of humans and cargo....
concept proposed by ViviSat, a 50/50 joint venture of aerospace firms U.S. Space and ATK
Alliant Techsystems
Alliant Techsystems Inc., most commonly known by its ticker symbol, ', is one of the largest aerospace and defense companies in the United States with more than 18,000 employees in 22 states, Puerto Rico and internationally, and 2010 revenues in excess of an estimated...
, to operate as a small-scale in-space satellite-refueling spacecraft
Propellant depot
An orbital propellant depot is a cache of propellant that is placed on an orbit about the Earth or another body to allow spacecraft to be fuelled in space. Launching a spacecraft separately from some of its propellant enables missions with more massive payloads...
.
Technical capabilities and competition
ViviSat will compete for space servicing business with the recently announced Space Infrastructure ServicingSpace Infrastructure Servicing
Space Infrastructure Servicing is a spacecraft being developed by Canadian aerospace firm MacDonald, Dettwiler and Associates to operate as a small-scale in-space refueling depot for communication satellites in geosynchronous orbit...
(SIS) vehicle from MDA. However, the two vehicles will operate with different technology approaches. ViviSat will connect to the target satellite in the same way as MDA SIS, but will not transfer fuel. It will rather use "its own thrusters to supply attitude control
Reaction control system
A reaction control system is a subsystem of a spacecraft whose purpose is attitude control and steering by the use of thrusters. An RCS system is capable of providing small amounts of thrust in any desired direction or combination of directions. An RCS is also capable of providing torque to allow...
for the target."
ViviSat believes their approach is more simple and can operate at lower cost than MDA, while having the technical ability to dock with "90% of the 450 or so geostationary
Geostationary orbit
A geostationary orbit is a geosynchronous orbit directly above the Earth's equator , with a period equal to the Earth's rotational period and an orbital eccentricity of approximately zero. An object in a geostationary orbit appears motionless, at a fixed position in the sky, to ground observers...
satellites in orbit," whereas MDA SIS can dock to only 75%.
"In addition to extending the life of an out-of-fuel satellite, the company could also rescue fueled spacecraft like AEHF-1
USA-214
USA-214, known before launch as Advanced Extremely High Frequency 1 or AEHF SV-1, is a military communications satellite operated by the United States Air Force...
by docking with it in its low orbit, using its own motor and fuel to place it in the right orbit, and then moving to another target."
See also
- Orbital ExpressOrbital Expressthumb|Orbital Express: ASTRO and NEXTSatOrbital Express was a space mission managed by the United States Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency and a team led by engineers at NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center...
— a 2007 U.S. governmentFederal government of the United StatesThe federal government of the United States is the national government of the constitutional republic of fifty states that is the United States of America. The federal government comprises three distinct branches of government: a legislative, an executive and a judiciary. These branches and...
-sponsored mission to test in-space satellite servicing technologies with two vehicles designed from the start for on-orbit refueling and subsystem replacement. - Propellant depotPropellant depotAn orbital propellant depot is a cache of propellant that is placed on an orbit about the Earth or another body to allow spacecraft to be fuelled in space. Launching a spacecraft separately from some of its propellant enables missions with more massive payloads...