What if a satellite could move and maneuver in orbit without ever running out of fuel? What if the mission didn't have to end when the tanks ran out, but could continue as long as the solar panels were functioning? What if there were no longer any risk of leaks, explosions, or propellant contamination? This is what has been demonstrated. Genergo, an Italian startup based in Como, testing for over 700 hours in orbit an electromagnetic propulsion system that generates thrust without using any type of propellantThree space missions, three confirmations: the Polytechnic University of Milan has validated the results. SpaceX has also launched tests: the technology has reached TRL 7-8 maturity level, ready for commercial applications.
And here comes the problem of perception. Newspapers, the public, the media: you're underestimating the significance of this news.
Genergo, the engine that shouldn't work
Every operational satellite carries propellant on board: it's needed for orbital maneuvers, to maintain position, and for controlled reentry at the end of its life. Propellant takes up space, adds mass (often multiplied by the required hardware: pressurized tanks, valves, fuel lines), and introduces operational risks. When it runs out, the mission ends. The satellite becomes a drifting, uncontrollable piece of debris. It seems like the Stone Age, doesn't it? We watch incredible movies, with all sorts of spacecraft, but in reality, we're still in this state.
The Genergo system eliminates all of this. It transforms electrical energy into controlled electromagnetic pulses, generating thrust without expelling mass. Zero tanks, zero valves, zero possible explosions. It's the world's first known space propulsion system capable of operating without propellant, tested and validated in orbit. Not on paper. Not in the lab. In orbit.
The tests were conducted between 2022 and 2023 on board the satellites ION Satellite Carrier of D-Orbit (the Italian company of Until Mornasco specialized in orbital platforms), launched by SpaceX with the Falcon 9 carrier in the campaigns Transporter-5, Transporter-6 and Transporter-9. In multiple activation sessions, a measurable change in the satellite's speed was recorded, both in acceleration and deceleration. The engine responded, repeatably, to inputs.
Genergo, the Polytechnic University of Milan and the validation that counts
When a space technology is presented as “propellantless,” the first instinct is skepticism. It's right. Physics is unforgiving, and the history of space exploration is full of failed concepts, of “impossible” engines that promised to violate the laws of thermodynamics. Genergo does not appear to be one of these cases.
Il Department of Electronics, Information and Bioengineering (DEIB) of the Polytechnic University of Milan took care of the bench measurements in the laboratory, the calibration of the operating parameters. Department of Aerospace Science and Technology (DAER) developed the satellite's physical model for orbital data analysis and prepared the electromagnetic emissions report required for acceptance into orbit. An independent entity specializing in advanced technologies independently validated the results, ensuring the robustness and repeatability of the observed performance.
Translated: this is not an ad seeking funding. It is a technology that has passed the launch qualification requirements of SpaceX and D-Orbit, and has operated in space for over 700 hours overall.
What really changes?
The first commercial use will be for controlled de-orbiting: the process of lowering the orbit of a satellite at the end of its life to guide its atmospheric reentry and controlled destruction. It's a huge problem. Earth's orbit is increasingly crowded, space debris is a growing threat, and every satellite that runs out of propellant becomes debris which remains there for decades.
A system that doesn't run out of fuel can remain maneuverable for the entire lifespan of its solar panels and onboard electronics. It can change orbit, avoid collisions, and re-enter when needed. Sustainability isn't just an environmental issue: it's a matter of orbital safety.
The system has an extremely high degree of sustainability: No polluting or toxic materials, no pressurized components to store, no risk of contaminating the space environment or in the event of atmospheric reentry. Due to its design, the technology is suitable for scale-up and operates with limited energy requirements.
The detail that makes the difference
Genergo is protected by numerous international patents. It hasn't yet disclosed the system's full technical details (understandable, given the strategic nature of the technology). But the fact that SpaceX has agreed to launch the tests, that D-Orbit has hosted the system on its orbital platforms, and that the Polytechnic University of Milan has validated the results speaks volumes. Further test missions are planned to further characterize the technology. The first commercial contract could arrive soon.
How quickly will this technology change the way we design, launch, and operate satellites? No, I mean... Because a system that doesn't require propellant isn't just safer or more sustainable. It's a system that redefines the physical limits of a space mission.
And, again, everyone is still underestimating what this really means.
