Satellite Kiss

Two US aerospace companies are testing a new spacecraft-refuelling technology that could significantly extend the lives of satellites orbiting the Earth. Ball Aerospace and Starsys, both from Denver, are key players in a 300 million mission called Orbital Express, demonstrating that it is possible to robotically connect two satellites in space for refuelling and servicing.

8220;Satellites generally reach their end of life not because the hardware degrades but because they run out of propellant or their batteries degrade,8221; said George Whitesides, executive director of the Washington-based National Space Society. With the technology Orbital Express is testing, 8220;we may be able to double, triple, quadruple the life of these geostationary satellites,8221; he said. 8220;When you8217;re talking about objects that cost millions, even a billion dollars, that8217;s great.8221;

A milestone in the mission is scheduled for this weekend. Two satellites8212;one built by Boulder-based Ball Aerospace called NextSat and another built by Boeing called ASTRO8212;were connected and launched into space on March 8. ASTRO carried a capture mechanism designed and built by Louisville-based Starsys. The capture system has three arms that extend and grab a fixture on the NextSat satellite and pull it in.

Intermediate 8220;baby step8221; separation tests have been performed in space, with the satellites separating while connected with a robotic arm. The two spacecraft will separate completely, fly independently about 33 ft apart and then come back together.
Kelly Yamanouchi NYT-WIECK