The Spanish company Kreios Space plans to test a satellite by releasing it into the atmosphere
The Spanish company Kreios Space plans to launch a satellite into orbit to test an electric propulsion system that uses atmospheric air as a working fluid. The company stated that this will be the world’s first satellite to use this technology, according to Space.com.
The technology is called air-breathing electric propulsion (ABEP). The system draws gas from the upper layers of Earth’s atmosphere, heats and ionizes it, and then expels it to generate thrust. This approach is intended to counteract atmospheric drag without using liquid fuel.
The technology is scheduled to be tested in very low Earth orbit (VLEO), which is located at an altitude of approximately 100 to 400 kilometers. At these altitudes, there is still gas in the atmosphere that creates drag on the spacecraft. Therefore, a satellite in VLEO requires thrust constantly or most of the time. In low Earth orbit (LEO), which spans altitudes of approximately 160 to 2,000 kilometers, periodic correction maneuvers using traditional engines are usually sufficient.
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For this mission, Kreios Space has selected the Lithuanian company Kongsberg NanoAvionics. It will provide the MP42 satellite platform, which will deliver the ABEP system into orbit, and will also assist with integrating the technology. No exact launch date has been announced, but the Kreios Space website lists 2027 as the tentative date for the company’s first space mission.
Very low Earth orbits can provide more detailed images of Earth due to the shorter distance to its surface. This part of near-Earth space is also significantly less crowded with satellites than low Earth orbit. Kreios Space believes that the ability to operate longer at these altitudes could improve Earth observation, satellite communications, and the efficiency of space missions.
