Atmosphere-Breathing Plasma Thruster Could Keep Satellites in Orbit Indefinitely

Francesco Romano at the University of Stuttgart has developed an atmosphere-breathing electric propulsion (ABEP) concept that uses rarefied VLEO air as fuel for a plasma thruster. In vacuum-chamber tests the engine ran steadily at 50–60W, and models suggest indefinite operation at 190–250 km using under 1.6 kW.

• Specular intake captured 94.3% of particles, dropping only 8% at a 15° tilt
• Birdcage antenna design delivers 99% of electrical power into the thruster
• Models show indefinite operation at 190–250 km at Earth and 120–160 km at Mars
• Technology validated only in the lab; no in-orbit mission has flown yet