In seven to eight years, as robotic technology advances, the spacecraft could eventually transfer fuel to aging satellites, or deliver or swap their payloads, Wilson said, citing work on such capabilities by Cube vacuum space bags Factory NASA and other agencies.Orbital ATK eventually plans to operate 10 MEV spacecraft that will be able to dock with other satellites that are running out of fuel, repositioning and controlling them to continue serving their existing areas or move to new areas.jpg Orbital ATK Inc on Monday said it hopes to announce within the next six to eight weeks its first contract for a new "in space” service aimed at extending the life and uses of aging commercial satellites in geosynchronous orbit."It’s the start of a whole new market,” Wilson said. Wilson said the company planned to launch its first ViviSat Mission Extension Vehicle (MEV) in 2018, and then carry out its first customer mission in early 2019 after an in-orbit checkout.Wilson said each year about 70 satellites of the 380 communications satellites in orbit could potentially need servicing as they reached the end of the propellant that allows them to maintain their position in space.

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