In-orbit servicing (life extension)

In-orbit servicing, or life extension, refers to operations in which a specialized vehicle docks with an aging satellite, typically one running low on fuel, and takes over its station-keeping and attitude control, extending its operational life without replacement. The technique changes the nature of the insured risk in two ways. First, it introduces a novel, high-risk technical operation, the orbital docking of two objects not designed for each other, whose failure can damage or destroy both spacecraft. Second, it reshapes the risk economics for the operator: rather than bearing the cost and launch risk of replacing a still-functional but fuel-depleted satellite, the operator extends an already-depreciated asset, which changes both the insured value and the duration of cover. For the insurer, in-orbit servicing raises questions of liability if the docking fails or damages the client satellite, and of what cover applies during an extended life phase the original policy never anticipated. It remains a young segment of the space market, one whose growth could eventually reduce the frequency of replacement launches and the launch-related exposure that comes with them.

In 2020, Northrop Grumman's MEV-1 vehicle docked with the fuel-depleted Intelsat 901 satellite and took over its propulsion, extending its operational life by roughly five years without a new launch.

life extension, in-orbit servicing, prolongation de vie satellite, MEV, amarrage en orbite