Mission Extension Vehicle (MEV), the mission extension spacecraft [1] is the concept of an aircraft whose main purpose is to operate as a small space tanker [2] , which can also move or orient satellites in outer space.
This idea of the MEV program was proposed by the joint venture ViviSat, which was a joint venture of two aerospace firms - US Space and ATK, with a 50/50 participation, and was created in 2010 to develop, manufacture and operate the MEV program. In April 2016, Vivisat was dissolved by one of the partners - ATK [3] . After that, the MEV program continued as a solo project of ATK. [four]
History
ViviSat was to compete for space services with the announcement in 2011 of the Space Infrastructure Maintenance Vehicle (SIS) from MDA. However, both devices had different technological principles of operation. ViviSat had to connect to the target satellite in the same way as MDA SIS, but did not have a refueling function. He could only orient the spacecraft using small thrust engines [2] .
A June 2012 article in The Space Review discussed a number of satellite service approaches. It has been reported that the ViviSat Mission Extension Vehicle is technologically simpler, [5] which increases reliability and reduces the risk for satellite owners.
ViviSat believed that their approach was simpler and could work at lower cost than MDA, while having the technical ability to dock with “90% of the approximately 450 geostationary satellites in orbit” [2] while MDA SIS can make successful dockings with a probability of less 75% [6] .
To extend the life of a satellite that has consumed its fuel, a company’s device can refuel satellites like USA-214 by docking with it in its low orbit. In this case, MEV uses its own engine and fuel, placing the rescued satellite in its correct orbit, and then moves to another target [2] /
In 2012, ViviSat planned to use the ATK A700 platform for these purposes [7] .
Notes
- ↑ ViviSat Corporate Overview (unavailable link) . company website . ViviSat (2009). Date of treatment August 26, 2011. Archived on April 5, 2016.
- ↑ 1 2 3 4 Morring . An End To Space Trash? Aviation Week (March 22, 2011). Released March 21, 2011. “ ViviSat, a new 50-50 joint venture of US Space and ATK, is marketing a satellite-refueling spacecraft that connects to a target spacecraft using the same probe-in-the-kick-motor approach as MDA , but does not transfer its fuel. Instead, the vehicle becomes a new fuel tank, using its own thrusters to supply attitude control for the target. ... [the ViviSat] concept is not as far along as MDA. ".
- ↑ https://spacenews.com/us-space-sues-orbital-atk-over-vivisat-venture/
- ↑ https://spacenews.com/us-space-sues-orbital-atk-over-vivisat-venture/
- ↑ Foust . The space industry grapples with satellite servicing , Space Review (June 25, 2012). Date of treatment July 4, 2012.
- ↑ de Selding . Intelsat Signs Up for MDA's Satellite Refueling Service , Space News (March 18, 2011). Archived March 21, 2012. Date accessed March 20, 2011. “ more than 40 different types of fueling systems ... SIS will be carrying enough tools to open 75 percent of the fueling systems aboard satellites now in geostationary orbit. ... the SIS spacecraft is designed to operate for seven years in orbit but that it is likely to be able to operate far longer than that. Key to the business model is MDA's ability to launch replacement fuel canisters that would be grappled by SIS and used to refuel dozens of satellites over a period of years. These canisters would be much lighter than the SIS vehicle and thus much less expensive to launch. ".
- ↑ ATK: Introducing the expanded product line of agile spacecraft buses, Space News (August 13, 2012), pp. 16-17. " ATK A100 THEMIS ; ATK A200 ORS-1 , TacSat3 , and EO-1 ; ATK A500 DARPA Phoenix ; ATK A700 ViviSat . "
External links
- Official site US Space