The Mission Robotic Vehicle (MRV), arguably the most advanced servicing satellite known, has been launched on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket. Owned by Northrop Grumman, the MRV is designed for a decade-long mission in geosynchronous orbit, over 22,000 miles above Earth, to service other satellites.

This mission builds on previous efforts, including China's Shijian-21 satellite which demonstrated satellite repositioning and refueling. The MRV, a collaboration between Northrop Grumman and the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), features two robotic arms and can inspect, service, upgrade, or repair satellites. DARPA invested approximately $420 million in the robotics payload, which was developed over two decades at the US Naval Research Laboratory.

The MRV's capabilities go beyond life extension, aiming to change the "launch-and-abandon" paradigm by enabling on-orbit interventions. This technology has significant military applications, with US Space Command expressing concerns about China's counterspace capabilities. The MRV represents a major step in US on-orbit servicing capabilities, a field where companies like Astroscale are also developing refueling technologies.