History's Most Significant In-Space Repair Missions

A ranking of human-crewed and robotic missions that fundamentally changed our capability to fix or upgrade hardware in the harsh vacuum of space.

The top 3

  1. Hubble Space Telescope Servicing: The five Space Shuttle missions to Hubble (1993–2009) remain the gold standard for complex, human-led in-space upgrades and component replacements. Hubble Space Telescope
  2. Solar Maximum Mission Repair: In 1984, the Space Shuttle Challenger performed the first in-orbit repair of a malfunctioning satellite, proving that proximity operations were technically feasible.
  3. MEV-1 Docking Success: The 2020 Mission Extension Vehicle (MEV-1) became the first commercial spacecraft to dock with a drifting satellite in GEO to extend its operational life. Northrop Grumman

Sources

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