In 2021, in partnership with Intelsat, Space Norway was the first commercial satellite operator to perform on-orbit servicing of an active satellite in geosynchronous orbit.
The Mission Extension Vehicle (MEV-2) delivered by Northrop Grumman has been providing a successful service to the jointly run THOR 10-02/ Intelsat 10-02 satellite.
The contract was expected to run for up to five years but, due to the consistent and high-quality service provided by MEV-2, Space Norway and Intelsat have agreed to extend the service by several more years.
THOR 10-02 / Intelsat 10-02 itself was launched in 2004 and is still in excellent health with 100% redundancy still available in the Space Norway payload. It carries thousands of valuable communication links, making crucial connectivity possible in remote locations on land and at sea.
The docking procedure in 2021 was the first ever undertaken on an active satellite and was achieved in a completely seamless fashion with no downtime occurring, ensuring continuity of service for Space Norway’s customers. By extending this service we are able to ensure transmissions will continue smoothly over the coming years.
Morten Tengs, CEO of Space Norway, said: “The MEV-2 mission has proved a great success, benefitting our customers across Europe and the Middle East. By continuing to employ this history-making technology we can extend the longevity of this high-quality satellite and ensure hassle-free continued operation for our customers.”
