Operational satellites equipped with propulsion carry propellant on board to perform orbital maneuvers, maintain position, and, in some cases, execute end-of-life atmospheric re-entry. Propellant takes up volume and adds mass – often further increased by the hardware required to manage it (pressurized tanks, control valves, feed lines) – introduces operational risks (leaks, explosions), and is, by definition, a finite resource. Once depleted, the spacecraft is no longer maneuverable and the mission ends.

Genergo’s system generates thrust without using any propellant and without expelling reaction mass, by directly converting electrical energy into thrust through controlled electromagnetic impulses. To the company’s knowledge, it is the first space-propulsion system worldwide capable of operating without propellant, flight-tested and validated on orbit, and it represents a clear discontinuity from current standards. By design, the technology is scalable and operates with a modest power requirement.

The system also exhibits a highly sustainable profile: it uses no hazardous or toxic materials, requires no pressurized components to be stored on board, and introduces no risk of contaminating the space environment—either during operations or upon atmospheric re-entry.

The performance achieved to date by the flight-tested prototypes is already aligned with market requirements for specific mission profiles.

In addition to further on-orbit campaigns designed for continued development, the first planned commercial application will be controlled deorbit – namely, lowering a satellite’s orbit to guide atmospheric re-entry and ensure burn-up at the end of the mission.

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