Mary-Louise Hoffman
Richard White, president of SSL Government Systems, said the development of on-orbit servicing technology can help accelerate innovation efforts meant to support future space missions, Geospatial World reported Friday.
White added an SSL-designed servicer will work to integrate with government and commercial spacecraft in orbit.
NASA awarded the Maxar Technologies subsidiary a five-year, $127 million contract in late 2016 to help the space agency build a robotic platform that would grasp, refuel or relocate a government-owned satellite.
Work under the contract focuses on developing the Restore-L spacecraft that is designed to supply the Landsat 7 remote sensing satellite with fuel.
Geospatial World also quoted Robert Zitz, senior vice president and chief strategy officer at SSL Government Systems, as saying on-orbit servicing technology can help extend the life of some satellites.
The report noted SSL forecasts that industry’s efforts to produce standardized and modular architectures will facilitate space-based technology upgrades, repairs and modifications.
