Kreios Space

Kreios Space is a Spanish aerospace company specializing in propulsion systems that enable satellites to operate in Very Low Earth Orbit (VLEO), an altitude range of 150 to 400 kilometers once considered unviable for long-duration missions due to atmospheric drag. Founded in 2021 by six aerospace engineers who met at university—Adrián Senar, Jan Mataró, Francisco Boira, Adrià Barceló, Max Amer, and Francisco Bosch—the company is headquartered in Vigo, Spain. The founding team's shared academic background in aerospace engineering provides the technical foundation for the company's core focus.

The company's key technology is its proprietary Air-Breathing Electric Propulsion (ABEP) system. This system captures the rarefied atmospheric particles present in VLEO and uses solar power to ionize them into plasma, which is then accelerated to generate continuous thrust. This process counteracts atmospheric drag, allowing satellites to maintain their orbit for years without the need for onboard propellant, a major limitation of conventional systems. Kreios Space's Helicon Plasma Thruster, the K-3, is designed to operate for over 10 years using atmospheric air as its propellant.

Operating in VLEO offers significant advantages for both Earth observation and telecommunications. The proximity to Earth can provide up to three times sharper image resolution for applications like environmental monitoring, disaster response, and defense. It also improves the satellite link budget, enabling high-speed, direct-to-device broadband connectivity without requiring large ground antennas. By enabling long-term missions in this orbit, Kreios aims to reduce mission costs by up to 50% and offer debris-free operations, as satellites in VLEO naturally de-orbit and burn up at their end of life.

Kreios Space serves clients in the defense, telecommunications, and Earth observation markets. Its business model revolves around developing and providing these ABEP-equipped satellite platforms for dedicated constellations. The company has secured significant funding to advance its technology, including a €2.3 million pre-seed round in 2024 and an €8 million seed round in September 2025. The latter was co-led by the NATO Innovation Fund—its first direct investment in Spain—and JOIN Capital, with participation from other venture partners. This funding is directed towards the first in-orbit demonstration of its ABEP engine and the launch of its initial test satellites, with a demonstration mission planned for early 2027.

Keywords: Air-Breathing Electric Propulsion, ABEP, Very Low Earth Orbit, VLEO, satellite propulsion, plasma thruster, Earth observation, direct-to-device communication, space technology, nanosatellites, Adrián Senar, Vigo, NATO Innovation Fund, JOIN Capital, Helicon Plasma Thruster, satellite constellations, space debris mitigation, atmospheric drag, satellite imaging, resilient communications