Northrop Grumman integrated the robotics payload, developed by the Naval Research Laboratory (NRL), onto its Mission Robotics Vehicle at the company’s Dulles, Virginia facility. (Photo Credit: Northrop Grumman).

Northrop Grumman‘s SpaceLogistics in-space servicing business integrated a U.S. Naval Research Laboratory robotics payload onto its Mission Robotic Vehicle (MRV) spacecraft bus at its Dulles, Virginia facility, the company announced Thursday.

The milestone, part of the Defense Advanced Research Project Agency (DARPA) Robotic Servicing of Geosynchronous Satellites (RSGS) program, brings SpaceLogistics closer to delivering the first commercial spacecraft with robotic servicing capabilities for commercial and government satellites in GEO orbit.

The U.S. Naval Research Laboratory delivered the payload to Northrop Grumman in November. Now that it has been integrated with the MRV, it will go through environmental testing to validate its performance in space. Once the MRV is launched to Geosynchronous Earth Orbit (GEO), it will inspect, relocate, repair and offer other in-space servicing missions. This includes installing Northrop Grumman’s Mission Extension Pods to extend the life of satellites on orbit.

“Innovative. Flexible. Adaptable. That is how we see the future of on-orbit servicing, and it is why we are the leading industry advocate for a model of future satellite operations that increases value for our customers,” Rob Hauge, president of SpaceLogistics said in the announcement. “With advanced robotics technology and our proven experience in satellite servicing, we are delivering the next generation of in-space sustainment technologies