Northrop’s robot space mechanic is a new way to keep satellites at work longer

High above the Earth, a new generation of robots designed to keep satellites working longer is replacing its predecessor — quite literally.

This week, a spacecraft built and operated by Northrop Grumman called a Mission Extension Vehicle (MEV) unplugged from a communications satellite operated by the Australian firm Optus. For more than a year, the MEV spacecraft has been stuck to the back of the Optus satellite, keeping it in the right place in space so it can continue its mission.