A groundbreaking satellite just rescued another from its death orbit Chris Davies - Apr 12, 2021, 2:52pm CDT Two satellites docking, while still in space, sounds like the plot of a sci-fi movie, but that’s just what Northrop Grumman has done to extend the lifespan of one of Intelsat’s TV satellites. IS-10-02 may not have an interesting name but it’s certainly important to Intelsat, being responsible for part of the company’s satellite TV service across Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and South America. Problem is, satellites don’t last forever, but servicing them has traditionally been off the table. Providers are generally forced to launch a fresh satellite instead, which is both expensive and leaves more space junk to accumulate in orbit around Earth. That’s already led to concerns that projects like the International Space Station could be at increasing risk of tech-trash collisions.