Finding a way to extend the life of satellites that have exhausted their fuel, strayed off orbit or lost position has been an industry quest for decades. Earlier efforts have gotten close, but were ultimately determined to be unworkable for economic or other reasons.
To guide the development plan for this service, the Company focused on simplicity, a proven technology, and cost effectiveness as the critical success factors. ViviSats Mission Extension Vehicle (MEV) is a product of extensive internal research and development and is now ready for operation. The components of ViviSats MEV have already been successfully tested on the ground or through other flight operations.
– Additional propulsion services to extend its viability
– Rescuing a satellite that is in an improper orbit
– Boosting a satellite at the end of its life to safe harbor
Unlike other potential solutions, the ViviSat model does not interfere with any current satellite tasking. ViviSat is simple, low risk, and unique.
The MEV docks with the client satellite and provides propulsion for that satellite, much like a satellite jet pack without significant interruption to the host satellite. During its life, the MEV will be capable of docking with a number of separate satellites and provide the desired propulsion or other service benefit to each spacecraft. Once production is under way, the MEV could be prepared for launch in as few as six months. In the future, the vision sees the MEVs on-orbit, able to service a satellite directly in a short timeframe and be readily available for a crisis response mission.
This service is an advance of game-changing proportions in the operation of geosynchronous satellites. However, is the satellite market ready for this service? We believe so ViviSat was built to meet a significant market need. Before designing the service, there were many conversations with commercial and government satellite operators. Great detail was offered regarding their opportunities, goals and challenges, and the ViviSat MEV was then designed to meet such needs. The interest in ViviSats ability to improve the customers performance, cash flow, and return from existing space assets is substantial.
The challenging economic conditions in which the industry operates today are similar to those that have historically given rise to determining new ways of doing things. Lean times are great for innovators.
To make greatest use of the ViviSat MEV service, it will be ingrained in an organizations business planning process. An operator, instead of budgeting for satellites up to six years in advance of the end of life, can budget for a low cost MEV backup, freeing up most of the significant investment capital tied to an artificially extended satellite build cycle. This will allow operators to increase deployment of satellites in a more timely and efficient manner closer to the market need.
ViviSat sees a strong need of the MEV for U.S. Government missions, as well. There are numerous costly civil government satellite missions nearing end of life for which ViviSats MEV could play a valuable life extension role. ViviSat anticipates few, if any, technical hurdles to connect with these U.S. Government satellites. Close engagement with government customers throughout the entire process will be practiced to ensure safe operations with national assets.
The ViviSat services fits satellite operator needs as all work to manage costs. Potential customers see this product as extending the life of their satellites this service will offer more life and more profitability for their space assets, improve performance, return on investment, and cash flow from existing assets.
Bringing new life to existing space assets has long been a challenge for the satellite industry. The ViviSat model meets the challenge head-on with innovative solutions to extend the length of satellite missions, drive asset value, and protect franchises in ways that, before, have never been offered. ViviSat is proud to be the first U.S. company to offer these services that will activate new markets and provide new opportunities for satellite operators around the world.
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