• Northrop Grumman's robotic servicing vehicle launched with three propulsion pods, one allocated to Optus D3
  • The pod is designed to provide station-keeping propulsion and add up to six years of operating life after it is installed

The fact

Australian telecoms operator Optus has taken the next step in extending the life of its D3 satellite. On 21 July, Northrop Grumman’s SpaceLogistics launched a robotic servicing vehicle and three propulsion pods aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9. One of the pods is for Optus D3, while the other two are for Intelsat satellites.

D3 is a geostationary communications satellite launched in 2009. It supports fixed communications and television services in Australia and New Zealand. The robotic vehicle and pods must first reach geostationary orbit before the Optus pod can be installed on D3. Once attached, the pod will provide additional propulsion to help keep the satellite in position. Optus has said this could extend D3’s operating life by up to six years, potentially keeping it in service into the 2030s.

The assessment

The new system changes what has to remain attached to a satellite after servicing. SpaceLogistics’ earlier Mission Extension Vehicles stay docked while they provide propulsion. In this case, the robotic vehicle installs a separate propulsion pod and then leaves, allowing the vehicle to be used again on another spacecraft.

For Optus, that could allow D3 to keep using its existing communications payload even as its own propulsion becomes limiting. The pod would handle station-keeping, provided the rest of the satellite remains healthy enough to stay in service. For BTW readers, the difference is that one servicing vehicle does not have to remain with D3 for the whole extension period. If the installation succeeds, Optus could keep D3 operating longer while the robotic vehicle moves on to another mission.

What to watch

Watch for the robotic vehicle and Optus pod to reach geostationary orbit, followed by installation and commissioning on D3. Confirmation that the pod is providing station-keeping propulsion will establish whether the life-extension system is operational. Any revised estimate of D3's expected retirement date would show how much additional service life Optus expects to gain.