Resilient VLEO Operations with an Air Scooping Electric Thruster

Viridian’s Air Breathing Electric Propulsion (ABEP) enables the Department of the Air Force to field self-refueling, maneuverable spacecraft that persist in Very Low Earth Orbit (VLEO), overcoming traditional propellant and drag limitations. By harvesting ambient atmospheric gas at altitudes as low as 150?km and converting it into propellant for a Hall Effect Thruster, ABEP supports sustained station keeping, altitude adjustment, and evasive maneuvers, without onboard fuel limits. This breakthrough enhances mission agility, survivability, and data throughput (up to 400?%), unlocking high resolution Earth observation, low latency communications, and persistent ISR/SDA. ABEP aligns directly with the DAF’s Strategic Imperatives 1 and 7, facilitating a resilient, distributed space architecture with “maneuver without regret” and supporting both DoD and commercial low-cost space operations.  Viridian is proposing Air Breathing Electric Propulsion (ABEP) as a robust solution to the Space Sustainment and Maneuver challenge that addresses numerous challenges. This propulsion system provides unlimited maneuvering capabilities to spacecraft operating in Low Earth Orbit (LEO) and VLEO. ABEP’s novel architecture works by ingesting ambient atmospheric air and then processing it into useable propellant to power an electric Hall Effect Thruster (HET) while flying in VLEO.   Throughout the Phase II period of performance, Viridian aims to develop and ground-test a proto-flight ABEP system, advancing it to TRL 7 through validation of refueling and maneuverability capabilities. This effort will establish the foundation for scalable in-space propulsion, enabling indefinite thrust and positioning ABEP for commercial adoption across a range of satellite missions.