Missions
Altitude transfers
Inclination correction
Single-plane phasing
Multi-plane phasing
Station keeping
Deorbitation & Collision avoidance
Benefits
Flexible and cost-optimised launch
Pack your satellites in a rideshare with larger batches of satellites and then phase your satellites optimally around the Earth. With competing solutions this maneuver can take years but with the Exotrail high thrust electric propulsion system it can be done in months and at a fraction of the launch costs. This also allows our customers to use any scheduled launch and then correct their orbital position. Electric propulsion = launch flexibility.
Enhanced revisit rate & coverage
With orbit raising, you can develop high coverage telecommunication constellations or high revisit rate earth observation constellations at 600-2000km altitude. This allows you to either use less satellites for the same coverage – or double the coverage for the same number of satellites. It can take only a couple of months to reach your operational orbit after launch – competing solutions would require a year. Thrust matters.
Very high resolution imagery & high downlink capability
Operating at 300km vs. 600km has the following benefits : x2 picture resolution, x10 downlink capability. Our high thrust EP system allows you to reach operational altitude quicker. You can also double the duty cycle of your payload compared to competing solutions : at a given thrust level, we use less power for the propulsion system – so that you can use more for your payload.
Space Debris Compliance & Collision safety
New regulations are being put in place – it will soon be mandatory to plan a solution for deorbitation if you want to launch satellites in orbit. Above 500-550km, you need a deorbitation solution to prevent the generation of space debris. Our system can deorbit your spacecraft at the end of its life. You can also avoid collisions with our active system and guarantee the safety of your constellation.
New Space Services
Asteroid mining, space tugs, in-orbit services, space surveillance, active debris monitoring, in-orbit assembly… We believe all these missions are opportunities that will arise in the coming years. For all of them, you need electric propulsion. Our vision is to become a leader in on-orbit servicing – we are working on advanced concepts of small satellite vehicles equipped with our system in order to deliver disruptive business cases in the future.
You want to know how propulsion can improve your mission ? We can tell you that.