The United States Space Force has awarded Northrop Grumman a contract to develop and demonstrate a satellite refueling capability with a new mission called Elixir. The award follows Northrop’s contract last year to develop the GAS-T (Geosynchronous Auxiliary Support Tanker) satellite and incorporates technology and lessons learned from the company’s previous work.
Elixir Program and Targeted Challenges
Lauren Smith, Northrop Grumman’s Space Refueling Program Manager, explained that the Elixir program focuses on the development, construction and launch of the refueling payload that sits on the base of the GAS-T tanker. The Elixir contract advances Northrop Grumman’s existing work to advance the development of satellite refueling technologies.
Elixir aims to solve three key technical challenges, Smith said: rendezvous and proximity operations, interlocking (making contact with another satellite) and fuel transferRefueling in space is seen as a critical step for satellite mobility, and the development of this technology is of great importance for future space operations.
“Refueling in space is a carefully orchestrated dance, and we look forward to proving it in orbit. This mission will be an important step in seamlessly transitioning the technology to operational use, should the customer choose to do so,” Smith said.
The Strategic Importance of Space Refueling
Space refueling has become a major strategic priority for the Space Force, particularly as China and Russia develop tactics to counter U.S. operations in space. The complex maneuvers that China and Russia perform in orbit pose a threat to U.S. space operations. As such, satellite refueling and space maintenance capabilities are seen as an important solution to enable greater U.S. mobility in space.
Future Missions and Technological Developments
The Elixir program will be a key demonstration for the Space Force to shape its plans for integrating space refueling and maintenance capabilities. In addition to Elixir, there is also a refueling spacecraft built by Astroscale US and another mission due in 2026. That mission will see two satellite refueling vehicles come together in orbit, one docking at Orbit Fab’s refueling station and the other refueling Astroscale.
These missions are seen as important steps that will enable the future use of operational refueling and maintenance systems in space.
