SIS Servicing Vehicle (RSGS)

SIS Servicing Vehicle (RSGS) [SSL]

The SIS Servicing Vehicle was a free-flying robotic satellite servicing mission by Space Infrastructure Services LLC (SIS), which was developed jointly by DARPA and SSL to demonstrate in orbit satellite servicing for the RSGS (Robotic Servicing of Geosynchronous Satellites) program.

SIS has awarded a contract to SSL to design and build the highly capable satellite servicing spacecraft vehicle. The vehicle will fully meet the specifications for the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA)’s Robotic Servicing of Geosynchronous Satellites (RSGS) program, which is designed to inspect, repair, and augment geosynchronous satellites and plans to include a refueling payload to extend the life of satellites that are low on propellant. The contract is valued at US$228 million. SSL is working with the Naval Research Laboratory (NRL), The Charles Draper Laboratory and MDA robotics divisions in Brampton, Ontario and Pasadena, CA. to develop the servicer. The satellite is based on the SSL-1300 bus.

SIS also announced that SES, a world leading satellite-enabled solutions provider, with more than 50 GEO satellites and 12 MEO satellites on orbit, has entered into an agreement for an initial life extension mission with options for further missions. Under this agreement, SES will be the first commercial customer to benefit from satellite refueling that can be called up as needed with minimal disruption to spacecraft operation.

Once orbital demonstrations under the RSGS program are complete, SIS will receive the satellite servicing vehicle to operate throughout its lifetime.

In January 2019, SSL cancelled the contract with DARPA for financial reasons. In 2020 DARPA revived the RSGS program with Northrop Grumman as a new commercial partner for MRV (RSGS).