Hackaday

Very low Earth orbit (VLEO) satellites operate at altitudes where atmospheric drag is significant, requiring continuous thrust to maintain velocity. This creates self-cleaning orbits that naturally decay within weeks if propulsion fails, helping address orbital congestion. ESA's GOCE (2009) and JAXA's SLATS (2017) demonstrated successful VLEO operations at altitudes as low as 167 km using ion engines and aerodynamic designs. Future air-breathing electric propulsion systems could enable satellites to operate indefinitely at altitudes as low as 90 km, potentially revolutionizing satellite constellations.

Skimming Satellites: On The Edge Of The Atmosphere