Restore-L’s central structure in Maxar’s Silicon Valley manufacturing facility. Image: Maxar (CNW Group/Maxar Technologies Ltd.)

Maxar Technologies has completed a Critical Design Review (CDR) for the on-orbit servicing spacecraft bus it is building for NASA’s Restore-L project, and is on track to ship the bus to NASA in 2020 for integration with its payload in time for its scheduled launch in 2022. The CDR took place over a five-day period at Maxar’s Silicon Valley manufacturing facility.

Maxar is working with NASA Goddard Space Flight Center’s Satellite Servicing Projects Division (SSPD) on the Restore-L project, which aims to refuel satellites in Low-Earth Orbit (LEO) and also validate the use of tools, technologies and techniques developed that enable future exploration missions and new satellite servicing options for government and commercial customers. The Restore-L spacecraft bus design is based on Maxar’s 1300-class platform. Maxar is also building both nimble robotic arms for the Restore-L spacecraft, which will capture, manipulate and refuel the Landsat 7 satellite.

“The technologies proven on Restore-L are of great value to future exploration and science missions, and will play a crucial role in enabling our exploration of the Moon and beyond,” said Maxar Senior Vice President of Strategic Growth Mike Edwards. “Satellite servicing is one of many disruptive technologies that Maxar is pioneering to provide our customers with expanded options for more resilient and cost-effective operations in space.”