Mobility. It sounds like a piece of cake, yet it is one of the biggest technical challenges to overcome in a harsh environment like outer space. Like all things in this Universe, spacecraft are exposed to cosmic hazards, such as solar storms, man-made or natural space objects. 

One of our biggest problems for the continuation of space activities today is concentrated in one specific orbit called the Low Earth Orbit (LEO). It is a particularly advantageous vantage point to observe our planet given its proximity, yet satellites at this altitude need more robust propulsion systems to escape atmospheric drag, which is a natural process by which satellites reenter the atmosphere and desintegrate thanks to celestial mechanics. 

The ability to move in orbit is not only critical to maintaining spacecraft at the right altitude — we call this altitude control, it also allows them to stay away from space debris, some of which are orbiting our Planet at speeds 15 times faster than a bullet. 

As in a vintage video game, spacecraft must avoid collision with space junk at all costs to prevent damage. But as more and more satellites are being launched into orbit at an unprecedented rate to build new services and infrastructures, space traffic is becoming increasingly complex. That’s why we need thrusters for the advancement of Space Sustainability and to carry on exploring the Universe safely. 

     

One can argue that the history of humankind is also the history of infrastructure.  May it be a bivouac, an outpost, a road, an island, a harbor, an airport, a spaceport, a space station or a moonbase, explorers and pioneers need shelters, wherever they intend to go. In its broader sense, infrastructure also means all supporting constructions and systems underpinning human exploration. 

And yet what is understood by space infrastructure is a relatively new concept. Dreamers already envisioned a future in space centuries ago, yet our understanding of the cosmos and what we can achieve is being challenged constantly. 

ENPULSION helps turning these ideas into reality. In 2019, the Singapore-based company QOSMOSYS picked ENPULSION’s thrusters to power their Zeus spacecraft which are advanced and agile space vehicles capable of reaching lunar orbit and beyond and going back to Earth. This is possible thanks to ENPULSION’s experience in mass production under the highest quality standards. These new technologies will allow the effective deployment of space infrastructure between the Earth and the Moon. Many private companies are today working on enabling the Near-Earth economy, relying on mobility to provide new services.

     

Finding a path into the unknown. 

There is nothing quite as challenging and humbling for the human mind than picturing the Universe, let alone a possible Multiverse. Space science has brought some of the most astonishing discoveries about our world and our understanding of time and space, and will continue to do so in the next century. Space missions are the milestones of this scientific progress. They pave the way forward for the expansion of our knowledge. Powered by thrusters and advanced computing, space missions make the cosmos more palpable. 

As an active enabler of space missions, ENPULSION is also bringing science forward, and not only in deep space exploration but also Earth science. In 2021, the Colorado-based company Blue Canyon technologies announced that they selected ENPULSION´s MICRO R³ thruster for the MethaneSAT mission co-funded by the United States and New Zealand to provide regular global coverage of methane gas emissions and quantify them. Methane is a potent greenhouse gas that contributes to the acceleration of climate change. This mission of a new kind will bring unique capabilities for companies and governments to better plan their activities, notably in agriculture or other industrial sectors with high methane emissions.

     

Thinking of orbits or planets in environmental terms is not as common, and this mindset faces a lot of resistance, yet it is becoming critical to revaluate our “footprint” when considering space activities. This is the emerging reality of Space Sustainability. 

It is commonly accepted that industrial revolution brought profound change for human society. Yet, it would be foolish to ignore some of the harmful effects it also brought on some aspects of that society, as if technological progress justified everything. The same logic should be applied to the New Space revolution. This concern is often raised when discussing the path of space innovation. As NewSpace and Heritage Space are merging, the real question is whether we will be able to bring Space Sustainability to an acceptable level to preserve orbital and extraterrestrial resources along the way. 

As more and more satellites are reaching orbit, old and new space debris are like the sword of Damocles over our heads. Some are large and easy to track, some are not. The Kessler Effect predicts that more space debris generation will increase the risk of collision between space objects over time if no proactive measure is taken to reduce their number. Like a domino effect, a chain reaction could lead to a series of collisions leading to an uncontrolled growth in space debris population. 

To prevent such catastrophes, that would forever affect our ability to launch spacecraft in the long run, ensuring the maneuverability of all space assets at any time is for the time being the only realistic technical solution we have. 

And yet, like every other complex problem, a package of efficient solutions is imperative to yield results. As the space industry is booming, the legal framework for orbital activities is outdated, and does not accommodate fast paced innovation as it should. In this sense, more binding regulations should be implemented to allow this innovation ecosystem to grow in a sustainable fashion. Some general rules established decades ago should be questioned continuously: are they still up to date? For instance, should we really wait for 25 years to deorbit spacecraft that are not working anymore? How is our current approach to orbit allocation fair when spacecraft get placed in orbit on a first come first serviced basis? 

This multi-faceted issue requires a lot of coordinated efforts, interdisciplinary expertise and dedicated earthlings to reach desirable environmental targets and protect the future of the space industry. But we will need to act now before it is too late. Time is of the essence.

     

Today’s innovations are giving us clues on how the future will look like. Space ambitions are growing, interplanetary travel has never been so attractive to investors, and it is expected that our scope of activity in zero-gravity will increase from the lowest orbits to the most distant celestial objects. For these reasons, many space enthusiasts are anticipating another period of sweeping innovation bringing another swath of ground-breaking technologies for the benefit of humankind.

All these new applications could have tremendous catalyzing effects on space commercialization. And yet, they would not be possible if it wasn’t for the enabling power of flight-proven electric thrusters. As we are entering a new era in the Near- Earth economy, thrusters are real game changers. They are underpinning this fourth industrial revolution, and ENPULSION is at the heart of these transformations. 

With the industrialization of its FEEP thrusters, ENPULSION is lowering entry barriers to this new wave of entrepreneurs, effectively leading to the democratization of this innovation ecosystem.  To achieve that, ENPULSION took a proactive role in the development of new standards for space systems, driving costs down for integration.  As most new business models are based on micro and smallsats constellations, rate of production and streamlined integration became key drivers for success. For these reasons, ENPULSION rapidly became the market leader in the smallsat propulsion market, thanks to its fast, effective, and lean manufacturing processes. The modularity of ENPULSION’s products also enhanced flexibility for spacecraft manufacturers to meet optimal mission requirements and desired production rates. Like legos, it is possible to fit several thrusters into one satellite or probe to bring more thrust. 

Join our ride into the next 100 years of space activity and find out what the future holds.