Novel concept of a front-intake solar array wing for atmospheric drag compensation in very low Earth orbits using air-breathing electric propulsion

Very low Earth orbits (VLEOs) are very attractive; however, to maintain such orbits over a sufficiently long period, a thruster is required to compensate for atmospheric drag. Air-breathing electric propulsion, which uses the collected atmosphere as a propellant and operates with power supplied by solar panels, enables satellites to be maintained in the VLEOs without onboard propellant. One of the problems that prevents the realization of such propulsion is the requirements of efficiency and specific impulses, which are too high to be easily achieved. This study proposes a novel satellite design concept, the front-intake solar array wing (FI-SAW), which consists of solar array panels with rearward-sloping surfaces, intakes installed along the front edge of the solar panel, and a thruster installed at the other edge. Calculations based on a simple model of atmospheric drag on an FI-SAW revealed that the required efficiency and specific impulse can be reduced by a maximum of 39 % and 30 %, respectively, with respect to those for a conventional design. The FI-SAW also has an advantage in terms of the freedom of design for the satellite body. To fully benefit from this design, thin intake and thruster that can fit inside the panel are required. • New design for atmospheric drag compensation via air-breathing electric propulsion. • The new design is called the front-intake solar array wing (FI-SAW). • The FI-SAW features a front opening and rearward-sloping top and bottom surfaces. • The FI-SAW reduces required efficiency by 39 % and specific impulse by 30 % at most. • The FI-SAW provides more freedom of design for the satellite body.