Spanish company Kreios Space announced on August 4th that it plans to launch the world's first satellite into orbit that uses inhaled air to propel itself forward.
The technology being developed by Kreios Space is called Air Breathing Electric Propulsion (ABEP). This technology utilizes air from the Earth's atmosphere, heats and ionizes it, and sprays it out to generate propulsion.
This method will enable satellites operating in ultra-low Earth orbit (VLEO) to operate without relying on liquid fuel and can also counteract atmospheric drag. Ultra low Earth orbit typically refers to an area approximately 60 to 250 miles (100 to 400 kilometers) above the Earth's surface.
Kreios Space CEO Adri á n Senar stated in the announcement that "Kreios is manufacturing satellites that can achieve long-term operation in ultra-low Earth orbit. ”
He further stated, "By making satellites fly lower, run longer, and more efficiently, we can achieve higher resolution Earth observations, stronger satellite communication capabilities, faster and more accurate mission execution, and more sustainable orbital infrastructure
Kreios Space has chosen Kongsberg NanoAeronautics, headquartered in Lithuania, to provide a satellite platform carrying the ABEP system into orbit for this testing mission.
In the same statement, Atle W ø llo, CEO of Kongsberg NanoAvionics, stated that Kreios is challenging one of the most challenging operational environments in space, and this mission is also among the few ultra-low Earth orbit projects in Europe. ”
He added, 'Our engineering team has been working closely with Kreios to adjust the MP42 satellite platform according to specific mission requirements and support the integration of Kreios technology.'. ”
Kreios Space did not disclose a specific launch time in its statement, only stating that the company will launch the satellite during a period when ultra-low Earth orbit technology is receiving more attention and accelerating development. However, the company's official website shows that 2027 is the tentative target year for its first space mission.
It is understood that satellites operating in low Earth orbit (LEO) are typically about 100 to 1200 miles (160 to 2000 kilometers) above the Earth's surface and generally do not require continuous power propulsion. Normally, low orbit satellites only need occasional minor adjustments with traditional thrusters to maintain the correct orbit. To drive the thrusters, these satellites typically carry some form of fuel.
The situation in ultra-low Earth orbit is different. Due to the lower orbital altitude, there is still a certain degree of atmospheric environment there, which will cause resistance to the spacecraft. If we want satellites to operate in ultra-low Earth orbit, we must use propulsion systems for most of the time or even continuously to counteract this resistance. Therefore, the traditional fuel carried by satellites will soon run out.
Therefore, if we hope to keep satellites in ultra-low Earth orbit for a long time in the future, having a propulsion method that does not rely on traditional fuels will be very valuable, and ABEP is precisely such a technology.
Compared to satellites operating in regular low Earth orbit, ultra-low Earth orbit satellites have some advantages, such as obtaining clearer imaging results due to their closer proximity to the ground. One of the biggest advantages is that the environment in ultra-low Earth orbit is more relaxed, with much lower levels of crowding compared to low Earth orbit.
At present, thousands of satellites have been deployed in low Earth orbit, most of which are SpaceX's Starlink broadband satellites, and the number is still growing. However, in comparison, ultra-low Earth orbit still has a large amount of available space.
If ABEP technology ultimately succeeds and more and more companies begin equipping satellites with this new propulsion system, then in the future we may see satellites operating in very close orbits to Earth, traversing between thin atmospheres, and utilizing the surrounding air to maintain their own trajectories.
