The two competing on-orbit satellite servicing companies, UK based-Orbital Satellite Services and Greco-German company Kosmas Georing Services announced new designs and new customers on 3 September.After 10 months of redesigning the servicing spacecraft and creating a new organisation, former Orbital Recovery partners, Spanish systems integration specialist SENER, German technology developer Kayser-Threde and the Swedish Space Corporation, launched the UK-registered Orbital Satellite Services company and unveiled its redesigned SMART-orbital life-extension (OLEV) spacecraft, based on the European Space Agency's lunar orbiter SMART-1.
SMART-OLEV is 500kg (1,100lb) lighter than its 1,500kg predecessor Orbital Recovery's Conexpress-OLEV and will service one satellite by docking with its apogee kick motor. No fuel is transferred, as SMART-OLEV will use its own rocket motor. Recovery was abandoned when one of its founding partners, Dutch Space, pulled out when it was bought by EADS Astrium. Like Recovery, Orbital Satellite Services has an undisclosed customer for its first mission. Orbital Satellite Services has identified 140 commercial satellites that, over the next decade, can be serviced by SMART-OLEV vehicles.
Kosmas Georing Services announced that it signed a memorandum of understanding on 27 July with Middle Eastern satellite operator Arabsat for the development of methods for the on-orbit servicing of its spacecraft by Georing's vehicle Hermes. The MoU also gives Arabsat preferential client status and an opportunity to invest in Georing before any flotation.Refuelling by Hermes requires the client satellite's fuel valve to be fitted with a special coupling before launch. Each refuelling costs up to €10 million ($13.6 million) per 50kg of propellant. Hermes can refuel up to three satellites before itself requiring refuelling and can attach a refuellable rocket motor. Georing is working with eight technical partners including Franco-Italian joint venture Thales-Alenia Space and German space technology provider OHB-System.
The US Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency successfully carried out an in-orbit servicing demonstration mission in June and July of this year with its Orbital Express vehicle.
Source: Flight International
