New Satellite Engine Could Use Earth's Atmosphere to Stay in Orbit Indefinitely
3 hours ago
- A satellite engine using atmospheric gases as fuel (atmosphere-breathing electric propulsion, ABEP) shows promise in lab tests but remains unproven in actual missions.
- Very Low Earth Orbit (VLEO) offers benefits like sharper imaging and lower power needs, but atmospheric drag requires continuous thrust to stay in orbit.
- Conventional propulsion relies on heavy propellants like xenon, which limit satellite lifespan in VLEO.
- Francesco Romano's PhD research developed an ABEP system using a specular parabolic intake to capture air particles at 94.3% efficiency.
- The thruster uses a birdcage antenna (MRI-inspired) to achieve 99% power efficiency and expels a quasi-neutral plasma jet, eliminating the need for a neutralizer.
- Testing showed steady plasma output with only 50-60W of RF power, simulating VLEO conditions in a vacuum chamber.
- Modeling suggests the engine could operate indefinitely at 190-250 km altitude on Earth and at 120-160 km on Mars using CO2, with power under 1.6 kW.
- Challenges include corrosive atomic oxygen and atmospheric variability, but the design addresses these; however, no guarantee of real-world use yet.