A Chinese commercial satellite has successfully completed a refuelling test in low Earth orbit using a robotic arm, advancing efforts to extend spacecraft lifespans and develop in-orbit servicing abilities.

A Chinese commercial satellite has completed a refuelling test in low Earth orbit using a flexible “octopus tentacle” robotic arm, advancing efforts to extend spacecraft lifespans and develop in-orbit servicing abilities. The Hukeda-2, or Yuxing-3 06, demonstration satellite used its flexible arm to carry out compliance control and refuelling tests after blasting off from Jiuquan in China’s northwestern Gansu province last week, state broadcaster CCTV reported on Tuesday. The arm can curl, twist...