Intelsat, Northrup Grumman Seek OK for Life Extension Mission

Intelsat and Northrup Grumman subsidiary Space Logistics want FCC International Bureau OK for a satellite servicing mission that would have Intelsat 901 and MEV-1 docking and then redeploying. In bureau applications Thursday (see here and here), they asked for approval to raise Intelsat 901 -- currently at 29.5 degrees west -- 300 kilometers above geostationary arc, and then to redeploy with MEV-1 attached at 27.5 degrees west. Intelsat said Northrup's MEV-1 launch is set for the first half of this year. Northrup said that once the life-extension mission of the satellite is complete, the two would move to 150 kilometers above geostationary orbit and then unlock.