Viridian Space

Viridian Space Corporation, based in El Segundo, California, is a space propulsion startup developing Air-Scooping Electric Thruster (ASET) technology for refuelable satellite platforms operating in Very Low Earth Orbit (VLEO). The company's core innovation is a system that collects the residual upper-atmosphere gases encountered at VLEO altitudes and converts them into propellant for an electric thruster, giving satellites an effectively infinite fuel supply instead of a fixed onboard tank.

By enabling satellites to fly and stay at ultra-low altitudes indefinitely, ASET-equipped platforms can deliver higher-resolution Earth observation imagery and stronger broadband signal strength than satellites flying at higher, traditional LEO altitudes. The technology is also intended to support in-orbit servicing, assembly, and manufacturing (ISAM) missions and active debris removal, where sustained low-altitude maneuvering and long operational life are valuable.

Viridian's team, led by CEO Rostislav Spektor and CTO Matthew Feldman, has published peer-reviewed analysis of air-breathing electric propulsion concepts and operates a hardware test lab in El Segundo, where the company tests thruster components in vacuum chambers to validate performance ahead of flight qualification. The company has received support from organizations including the U.S. Department of Defense, the National Science Foundation, and Seraphim Space.