Operating satellites in Very Low Earth Orbit (VLEO, ~150–400 km) offers significant advantages for Earth Observation, remote sensing, telecommunications — and even defense. The proximity to Earth enables higher-resolution imaging, lower latency, and better signal strength.
But VLEO is also a harsh environment. The residual atmosphere — primarily atomic oxygen — erodes exposed surfaces and generates continuous drag, leading to rapid orbital decay within days or weeks.
With Air-Breathing Electric Propulsion (ABEP), we aim to transform these challenges into strengths. Our concept utilizes atmospheric gases like atomic oxygen as in-situ propellant, ionizing them and accelerating them through an electric thruster to counteract drag and maintain orbit.
Crucially, the very drag that complicates operation becomes a sustainability feature: when a mission ends, the spacecraft naturally deorbits and burns up in the atmosphere. No need for fuel-intensive end-of-life maneuvers. This makes VLEO an inherently cleaner, safer, and more environmentally responsible orbital regime compared to traditional LEO.
A prediction of passive deorbiting of a 1kg cubesat from 240 km.
