US: MDA, a Maxar Technologies company has announced it has received a commitment from the UK Space Agency (UKSA) to develop leading-edge space robotics capabilities in the United Kingdom. The agreement, valued at CA$1.7 million, enhances MDA’s ability to lead a European consortium bidding on the first phase of the European Space Agency’s (ESA) Space Servicing Vehicle (SSV) Robotics Program.
Leveraging capabilities from its recently announced acquisition of Neptec Design Group Ltd. (Neptec), MDA is developing robotics, tools, and sensors solutions for various on-orbit servicing applications that will allow satellites to perform longer missions, saving money for their operators. Space robotics is a key enabler for the new space economy, powering applications such as servicing, repairing, refueling and de-orbiting of satellites and building large structures in space, and MDA is strongly positioned to capture growth in this market. Neptec and MDA have operations based in Harwell, UK which have supported European commercial and government satellite projects since 2009.
To support both the existing Earth-orbiting satellite industry and the lunar, interplanetary and asteroid mining markets that are poised for significant growth, ESA has been working on the concept of Space Servicing Vehicles, capable of services such as:
- Servicing spacecraft on orbit, i.e., traveling from one spacecraft from another to provide fuel, replace a battery or fix a solar panel.
- Tugging of spacecraft from one orbit to another, i.e., from Low Earth Orbit to geostationary orbit, or from Earth orbit to lunar orbit.
- On-orbit assembly, i.e., placing several parts of a system together, such as attaching an antenna onto a spacecraft on-orbit.
“We are excited to bring MDA’s innovative and world-leading robotics and sensor technology to the space industry in the United Kingdom,” said Mike Greenley, group president of MDA. “We look forward to building on this core on-orbit servicing capability and exploring growth opportunities for greater participation by the United Kingdom in larger commercial programs. Investing in the future of the space industry promotes growth of both capabilities and jobs.”
