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The Future in Air: Why ABEP Technology is Key to Exploring Venus and Titan
As the demand for space exploration continues to grow, aerospace agencies around the world are constantly seeking innovative technologies to support future space missions. One important development among these new technologies is air-breathing electric propulsion (ABEP), which has the potential to allow spacecraft to operate in low-Earth orbit without carrying large amounts of propellant.
The core principle of ABEP is to use rarefied gases as propellants. Although these gases are extremely scarce in low Earth orbit, they can still be effectively collected and used for propulsion. The advantage of this technology is that it not only extends the service life of satellites, but also makes the execution of scientific and military missions more flexible and economical.
"Air-breathing electric propulsion technology allows spacecraft to operate in low Earth orbit without carrying additional propellant, which will open up a whole new class of long-duration low-orbit missions."
How ABEP works
The ABEP system consists of an air intake and electric thrusters that capture rarefied gases to generate propulsion. In low Earth orbit (LEO) and very low Earth orbit (VLEO), these gases enter an ionization chamber and are ionized. These ions are then ejected at high speeds, creating thrust. This process not only simplifies the propellant requirements, but also significantly reduces the complexity and cost of satellites entering high-dimensional orbits.
The potential of this technology is that it allows satellites to operate at altitudes below 400 kilometers. Research over the past 1-2 years has shown that ABEP technology can significantly extend the operating time of satellites, making scientific missions, military and civilian monitoring services, and even low-latency communication services feasible.
“ABEP technology enables simultaneous long-term scientific observations and real-time data transmission, which is critical for future space exploration missions.”
Development and testing progress
Several European projects are working on the development of this technology. The European Space Agency (ESA) announced in 2018 the successful demonstration of a RAM-EP prototype, a system designed and developed by Italy's SITAEL. As testing progressed, the effectiveness and performance of these systems were gradually confirmed.
During the same period, the Institute of Space Systems at the University of Stuttgart in Germany was also developing air inlets and thrusters, and a microwave plasma thruster (IPT) was successfully started. These advances have gradually promoted the commercialization and practical application of ABEP technology.
Related research in the United States and Japan
In addition to the European effort, the US company Busek has developed the Air Breathing Hall Effect Thruster (ABHET), a system designed specifically for Mars that aims to exploit the planet's carbon dioxide atmosphere. This suggests that ABEP is not limited to applications on Earth, but can also be used on other planets.
Meanwhile, the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) is also working on a similar air-breathing ion engine. This series of research and development has made ABEP technology increasingly important and an important tool for exploring other planets such as Venus and Titan.
Future Outlook
As ABEP technology matures, scientists envision that future landmark missions, such as long-duration missions to Venus or Titan, may become more feasible with this technology. These missions will not only provide valuable information about the environments of other planets, but also help humans search for signs of life in the universe. Future missions will no longer be short-term explorations, but long-term observations and data accumulation.
As technology continues to evolve, air-breathing electric propulsion technology has the potential to rewrite our history of space exploration and turn our imagination of interstellar travel into reality. Will such a future become another milestone in human exploration of the unknown universe?
