DEPLOYDatabase

Robot model

Mission Extension Vehicle (MEV)

spacecommercialby Northrop Grumman SpaceLogistics

GEO life-extension servicer that autonomously rendezvouses with and docks to a client satellite's apogee-engine ring, then provides station-keeping and…

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Manufacturer
Northrop Grumman SpaceLogistics
Form factor
space
Maturity
commercial
Lifecycle
active
Deployments
2

The verified answer

As of Sep 2026, DEPLOY verifies Mission Extension Vehicle (MEV), a space by Northrop Grumman SpaceLogistics (commercial): 2 verified deployments on record. 2 sources back the record.

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Key facts

Focus

On-orbit satellite servicing

Robot

Mission Robotic Vehicle (MRV) for on-orbit satellite servicing

Scale

Operator of the Mission Extension Vehicle (MEV) and MRV

Backers

Subsidiary of Northrop Grumman

Parent company

Northrop Grumman (NYSE: NOC)

Product

Mission Extension Vehicle (MEV), Mission Robotic Vehicle (MRV)

Notable

First commercial satellite servicing spacecraft (MEV-1)

Service life

15+ years planned

Specs

Role

orbital servicing

Autonomy

autonomous GEO RPO + docking to non-cooperative client

Data & sources

Web sources

2

2 sources backing this record.View all →

Pricing

No verified price is on record for Mission Extension Vehicle (MEV). Physical-AI systems are often sold through enterprise contracts or operated as a service rather than at a public list price.

How DEPLOY tracks pricing

Deployments (2)

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Mission Extension Vehicle (MEV) on the deployment map

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Where Mission Extension Vehicle (MEV) is verified operating. Explore the deployment map by place and type.

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Recent activity

Every change to this record is dated, sourced, and independently verified where marked.

Full change history →

Deployment-verified media (1)

PRIMARY SOURCE
Courtesy of Northrop Grumman

Northrop Grumman footage of its Mission Extension Vehicle (MEV-2) rendezvousing and docking with the Intelsat 10-02 satellite in geostationary orbit. A success: MEV-1 docked Intelsat-901 (2020) and MEV-2 docked Intelsat 10-02 (2021), the first commercial geostationary dockings, extending satellite life by taking over station-keeping.

From deployment: Geostationary Orbit (GEO)

Safety record

No incidents on record for Mission Extension Vehicle (MEV).

Only active incidents are counted. Retracted incidents are excluded from this summary but remain reachable at their canonical URLs.

Sources (2)

  1. https://spacenews.com/northrop-grummans-mev-1-servicer-docks-with-intelsat-satellite/
  2. https://www.eoportal.org/satellite-missions/mev-1

Common questions

What is Mission Extension Vehicle (MEV)?
GEO life-extension servicer that autonomously rendezvouses with and docks to a client satellite's apogee-engine ring, then provides station-keeping and attitude control.
How much does Mission Extension Vehicle (MEV) cost?
Mission Extension Vehicle (MEV)'s price is not publicly disclosed. DEPLOY has no verified price on record for Mission Extension Vehicle (MEV) from Northrop Grumman SpaceLogistics. Physical-AI systems like this are often sold through enterprise contracts or operated as a service rather than at a public list price; check the manufacturer for the latest.
Is Mission Extension Vehicle (MEV) actually deployed in the real world?
Yes. Mission Extension Vehicle (MEV) is independently verified in real-world operation on the DEPLOY registry, confirmed at named deployment sites with primary sources: not a concept, render, or demo-only.
Who makes Mission Extension Vehicle (MEV)?
Mission Extension Vehicle (MEV) is made by Northrop Grumman SpaceLogistics, based in Dulles, VA, USA.
Where is Mission Extension Vehicle (MEV) deployed?
2 verified deployments of Mission Extension Vehicle (MEV) are on the DEPLOY registry, including at Geostationary Orbit (GEO).
Can you buy Mission Extension Vehicle (MEV)?
Mission Extension Vehicle (MEV) is in commercial deployment and is sold to operators; contact the manufacturer to buy, and see the pricing section for any recorded price.
What are alternatives to Mission Extension Vehicle (MEV)?
On the DEPLOY registry, comparable space robots to Mission Extension Vehicle (MEV) include Chang'e Lander, Mira, W-Series Capsule, spacevan.
How does Mission Extension Vehicle (MEV) compare to Chang'e Lander?
Mission Extension Vehicle (MEV) and Chang'e Lander (China National Space Administration · 4 deployments) are both space robots on the DEPLOY registry. Mission Extension Vehicle (MEV) has 2 verified deployments on record. Compare both records for specs, safety, deployments, and verified-vs-claimed autonomy.
Is Mission Extension Vehicle (MEV) a top space?
On DEPLOY's intelligence score, which blends verified deployments, safety, adoption, media, and IP signals, Mission Extension Vehicle (MEV) ranks in roughly the top 48% of space models tracked by the registry.
What is Mission Extension Vehicle (MEV)'s maturity stage?
Mission Extension Vehicle (MEV) is at the commercial stage on the DEPLOY maturity ladder (research, prototype, pilot, commercial, production). Commercial stage means production-grade deployments are operating at named customer sites.
Is Mission Extension Vehicle (MEV) safe?
Mission Extension Vehicle (MEV) has no incidents on record in the DEPLOY registry. This does not constitute a safety guarantee; it reflects the incidents DEPLOY has tracked and verified to date.
Methodology: Verified · 2 sources (no primary) · last reviewed 2026-07-12

Verification posture

Verified

Low confidence

Review state

Stable

Last reviewed 2026-07-12

Maturity + lifecycle

Maturity stage: commercial

Lifecycle: active

Architectural position

Cohort: space

Sources by quality tier

2
unclassified
Unclassified source

The framework is documented at /methodology. Corrections at /corrections. Reviewer: DEPLOY editorial team.

Methodology surface for Mission Extension Vehicle (MEV).

Recent coverage

Mission Extension Vehicle (MEV) in third-party press

Northrop Grumman achieves key milestone for next-generation robotic satellite servicing vehicle - spaceconnectonline.com.au

Nov 11, 2025

Satellite Services in Space: Extending Life in Orbit - Northrop Grumman

Jun 21, 2025

From Mars to Maintenance: The Expanding Role of Vision Systems in Space - MVPro Media

Jun 20, 2025