{"ok":true,"trend":{"id":29,"platform":"hn","region":"global","key":"new satellite engine could use earth's atmosphere to stay in orbit indefinitely","title":"New Satellite Engine Could Use Earth's Atmosphere to Stay in Orbit Indefinitely","url":"https://scitechdaily.com/new-satellite-engine-could-use-earths-atmosphere-as-fuel-to-stay-in-orbit-indefinitely/","first_seen":"2026-09-26T16:31:27.675667Z","last_seen":"2026-09-26T21:33:35.486825Z","last_rank":9,"peak_rank":9,"last_volume":58,"peak_volume":58,"seen_count":14,"score":75.84,"category_hint":"space_policy","section":"science","category":"space_policy","summary":"Engineers are developing an air-breathing electric propulsion system that scoops up molecules from the upper atmosphere and uses them as propellant, potentially letting low-orbit satellites fly indefinitely without carrying fuel. The concept could extend mission lifetimes for Earth-observation satellites and lower costs, but challenges around compression and thrust efficiency remain.","why":"The prospect of unlimited satellite lifetimes could reshape the low-Earth-orbit economy, drawing wide interest.","tone":"positive","entities":["European Space Agency","low-Earth-orbit satellites"],"summarized_at":"2026-09-26T19:50:19.534838Z","meta":{"via":"scan","lang":"en","link":"https://scitechdaily.com/new-satellite-engine-could-use-earths-atmosphere-as-fuel-to-stay-in-orbit-indefinitely/","term":"esa","hn_id":"49857323","comments":14},"nw":0.72,"promo":0.02,"kind":"news_event","importance":1.86,"hidden":false,"hide_reason":null,"judged_at":"2026-09-26T17:51:16.892135Z","title_en":"New Engine Could Keep Satellites Aloft Using Air Itself","section_name":"Science","category_name":"Space Policy","timeline":[{"captured_at":"2026-09-26T16:31:27.675667Z","rank":29,"volume":17},{"captured_at":"2026-09-26T16:34:06.864688Z","rank":29,"volume":17},{"captured_at":"2026-09-26T16:35:58.945546Z","rank":29,"volume":17},{"captured_at":"2026-09-26T16:42:04.911549Z","rank":28,"volume":18},{"captured_at":"2026-09-26T16:54:55.223494Z","rank":27,"volume":21},{"captured_at":"2026-09-26T17:03:34.613956Z","rank":25,"volume":23},{"captured_at":"2026-09-26T17:05:47.236080Z","rank":25,"volume":23},{"captured_at":"2026-09-26T17:10:40.080839Z","rank":26,"volume":25},{"captured_at":"2026-09-26T17:25:40.018461Z","rank":24,"volume":28},{"captured_at":"2026-09-26T17:28:25.771893Z","rank":23,"volume":32},{"captured_at":"2026-09-26T17:29:54.175299Z","rank":23,"volume":32},{"captured_at":"2026-09-26T17:35:54.666588Z","rank":12,"volume":35},{"captured_at":"2026-09-26T17:44:09.491224Z","rank":22,"volume":36},{"captured_at":"2026-09-26T18:04:39.740175Z","rank":24,"volume":39},{"captured_at":"2026-09-26T18:05:17.527810Z","rank":24,"volume":39},{"captured_at":"2026-09-26T18:07:04.255285Z","rank":24,"volume":40},{"captured_at":"2026-09-26T18:13:20.209539Z","rank":24,"volume":40},{"captured_at":"2026-09-26T18:16:37.660849Z","rank":24,"volume":40},{"captured_at":"2026-09-26T18:26:45.548521Z","rank":24,"volume":42},{"captured_at":"2026-09-26T18:28:22.436170Z","rank":24,"volume":42},{"captured_at":"2026-09-26T18:43:22.376143Z","rank":23,"volume":45},{"captured_at":"2026-09-26T18:53:22.899849Z","rank":10,"volume":49},{"captured_at":"2026-09-26T18:56:36.768277Z","rank":24,"volume":49},{"captured_at":"2026-09-26T20:11:48.584488Z","rank":10,"volume":54},{"captured_at":"2026-09-26T21:33:35.486825Z","rank":9,"volume":58}],"posts":[{"platform":"hn","url":"https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49857323","author":"GordonS","title":"New Satellite Engine Could Use Earth's Atmosphere to Stay in Orbit Indefinitely","snippet":null,"posted_at":"2026-09-26T15:10:29Z","likes":58}],"elsewhere":[],"window":"7d"}}