SpaceX is scheduled to launch Northrop Grumman’s Mission Robotic Vehicle from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station on Tuesday, July 21. The Falcon 9 rocket will lift off during a window opening at 5:15 p.m. and extending to 9:04 p.m., ascending on an easterly trajectory from Launch Complex 40.
Northrop Grumman describes the MRV as the first private robotic spacecraft designed to service operational satellites in geosynchronous orbit. The vehicle features two robotic arms developed by the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory and provided by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency. Its primary functions include relocating, inspecting, repairing, and upgrading spacecraft while they remain in orbit.
The mission will also demonstrate three Mission Extension Pods. These jetpack-like devices attach to satellites that are low on fuel, using electric propulsion to maintain orbit and unload momentum. According to company materials, the pods can extend a satellite's operational life by up to eight years and are controlled by the customer through a self-contained telemetry system.
Because the launch requires extra power to reach geosynchronous transfer orbit, the Falcon 9’s first-stage booster will burn up during atmospheric reentry. This marks the 32nd and final flight for that specific booster.
The launch is part of a busy week for SpaceX across multiple locations. A Starlink mission was scheduled for Monday, July 20, from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California but was scrubbed. Additionally, the 13th Starship flight-test launch window opens on Thursday, July 23, at the Starbase complex in Texas. That attempt follows a previous launch stoppage caused by engine ignition failures.
