Id: 77

Published: 07/29/2025

Description:

After aiding in the relocation of Intelsat 901 to a graveyard orbit in early April, Northrop Grumman's Mission Extension Vehicle MEV-1 returned to geostationary orbit, aligned its plane with Optus D3 at 156.128°E, and has been keeping a distance of 2-7 km as of May 21. Originally docking with Intelsat 901 in 2020 to extend its service, MEV-1 completed its task by towing it to a higher altitude and releasing it for decommissioning, then proceeded westward to rendezvous with its next target. Calculations suggest MEV-1 required significant velocity changes for alignment and approach, highlighting its role in on-orbit servicing to prolong satellite operations, while the retired Intelsat 901 faces a long-term orbital decay.