Posted: Wed, Mar 16, 2011, 6:11 AM ET (1011 GMT)
MacDonald, Dettwiler and Associates (MDA) announced Tuesday a first-of-its-kind deal with Intelsat for servicing satellites in geosynchronous orbit. Intelsat will serve as the anchor customer for MDA's proposed Space Infrastructure Servicing (SIS) vehicle. The SIS spacecraft would rendezvous with spacecraft in GEO and refuel them, extending their lives. The spacecraft's robotic system could also be used to perform spacecraft repairs, such as freeing jammed solar arrays, and even capture orbital debris. Intelsat, through its Intelsat General subsidiary, will resell those services to US government customers as well. The value of the deal was not disclosed, but estimated to be up to $200 million, assuming 1,000 kilograms of propellant is transferred to four to five satellites, adding several additional years of operations to each.
