When we imagine the future of space, most people think of going higher. But what if the real opportunity lies in going lower, much lower?
With over 40,000 tracked objects and millions of debris fragments, traditional Low Earth Orbit (LEO) at 400-700 km altitude is becoming increasingly crowded and hazardous. A quieter, more powerful frontier is emerging just below — Ultra-Low Earth Orbit (ULEO), under 250 km altitude.
ULEO is faster, cheaper, sharper and cleaner
- Sharper imagery due to closer proximity to Earth
- Faster signal round-trips with low latency, better for real-time telecom and IoT
- Natural radiation shielding allows use of cost-effective commercial electronics reducing satellite CapEx
- Natural atmospheric drag ensures satellites deorbit quickly after use, reducing debris
It’s a better orbit, if only we could stay there. For decades, ULEO has been a theoretical paradise for satellite operations. But atmospheric drag at those altitudes is brutal. Without a breakthrough in propulsion, satellites here would last only days.
Over 1,000 satellites are expected to operate in the ULEO segment by 2032, driven by demand for high-resolution imaging and ultra-low-latency connectivity.
This is the challenge that Orbitt Space is boldly solving, a space where no startup has ever gone before.
We’re excited to announce our investment in Orbitt Space, a company pioneering the future of high-agility, high-performance satellites specifically designed for Ultra-Low Earth Orbit — a frontier that’s finally within reach.
The Deeptech Breakthrough: Fuel-Free Propulsion
Orbitt Space, founded by former ISRO engineers Christopher Parmar and Anupam Kumar, is building a proprietary Air-Breathing Electric Propulsion (ABEP) system — a breakthrough engine that enables satellites to operate in Ultra-Low Earth Orbit (ULEO), below 250 km altitude, where traditional propulsion fails due to high atmospheric drag.
Unlike conventional electric propulsion systems that require onboard fuel, ABEP systems ingest residual atmospheric gases (like oxygen and nitrogen) from the thin upper atmosphere and ionize them using electrical energy harvested via solar panels. These ionized particles are then accelerated and expelled to generate thrust, effectively allowing the satellite to “breathe” and maintain orbit without carrying fuel. This continuous drag compensation allows satellites to remain operational in ULEO for 5–7 years, a feat not yet commercially achieved.
The system relies on precision intake design, advanced plasma thrusters, and real-time adaptive control algorithms to efficiently manage air capture, ionization, and thrust generation in the highly variable density environment of ULEO — a regime that demands tight synchronization between propulsion and satellite dynamics.
Orbitt’s ABEP system is being integrated into a modular, high-agility 200 kg-class satellite bus, designed specifically for ULEO missions. This full-stack approach allows Orbitt to tightly couple propulsion, power, and payload systems, enabling advanced maneuvers and mission flexibility.
Why we invested in Orbitt Space
What drew us in wasn’t just the tech — it was the team's rare combination of credibility and clarity. Christopher and Anupam have spent years inside ISRO, developing and testing satellite systems for some of India’s most critical missions. With deep expertise in propulsion, orbital mechanics, and mission design, the founding team blends research acumen with the grit of hardware execution.
Orbitt Space will deploy its raise toward team building and product development, including building and testing the ABEP system.The current phase focuses on developing the working prototype and avionics, aiming for a space demonstration by 2026. Phase two (2026–2027) will involve rigorous qualification tests, including vibration and vacuum chamber evaluations. By 2027–2028, Orbitt targets the launch of its first operational satellite equipped with the proprietary air-breathing electric propulsion system.
Orbitt is unlocking an entirely new orbital regime. By doing so, it opens up new business models — from real-time imaging to hyperlocal weather monitoring to low latency communication. Their full-stack, propulsion-first approach gives them a defensible edge in what could become the fastest-growing layer of near-Earth infrastructure.
As investors in deeptech, we look for large, underexplored problems, and founders who don’t just solve them — they reimagine the rules. We’re proud to partner with them on their mission to rewrite how humanity operates in space — closer, faster, better.