Following the success of the Mission Extension Vehicles (MEV-1 and MEV-2), Jena-Optronik’s sensor technology will also play a pivotal role in the “Mission Robotic Vehicle” (MRV).

This mission represents the next innovative leap in in-orbit servicing and satellite lifetime extension.

On July 21, 2026, MRV was launched alongside three Mission Extension Pods (MEP) to provide life-extension services for geostationary (GEO) satellites. Equipped with two high-precision robotic arms and state-of-the-art technology, the MRV is designed to support satellite operators through repairs and life-extension services. The vehicle not only sets a new standard for in-orbit maintenance, but also paves the way for future capabilities, including inspections, repairs, and the assembly of complex structures directly in space.

Enabling the future of orbital logistics

The Mission Robotic Vehicle starts a new era in orbital logistics, marking the first commercial mission in the rapidly growing field of in-space servicing.

Jena-Optronik is supplying high-precision attitude and orbit control sensors for the mission, enabling the safe approach, inspection, and repair of other satellites.

The MRV features two ASTRO^© APS star sensors and one RVS^© 3000-X system integrated as a Rendezvous, Proximity Operations, and Docking (RPOD) sensor. For the MEPs, the configuration includes three ASTRO^© CL star trackers and one ASTRO^© CL cam WFOV (wide field of view).

Northrop Grumman and Jena-Optronik: A long-standing and successful partnership

Since the early 2000s, Jena-Optronik successfully supplied a wide range of sensors to support numerous of Northrop Grumman’s missions. This includes our star sensor family - ASTRO 15, ASTRO APS and ASTRO CL - as well as our ASTROhead camera and the RVS 3000 LiDAR sensor.

In 2020, Northrop Grumman was the anchor customer for the new constellation star tracker “Made in Jena”, the ASTRO CL.

With its Rendezvous- and Docking Sensors (RVS), Jena-Optronik has been a key partner and supplier for Northrop Grumman’s Cygnus program since its inception. The reliability and performance of the legacy RVS series, and subsequently the new-generation RVS 3000, have been contributors to the spacecraft’s success. Northrop Grumman’s confidence was of key importance in facilitating the seamless transition from the legacy RVS to the RVS 3000.

Jena’s #teamspace moreover played an important role as a key supplier and partner in the successful docking of the on-orbit servicing missions “Mission Extension Vehicle” - MEV-1 and MEV-2. This achievement was made possible through our advanced RVS 3000-3D LiDAR, which features an embedded Image Processing Board for 3D point cloud processing and pose estimation.

Pictures: © US Naval Research Laboratory photos by Sarah Peterson

Sensors "Made in Jena" © Jena-Optronik GmbH