AURA – the engine that makes lower orbits possible.
AURA is our breakthrough propulsion system that enables sustained flight at previously unreachable altitudes.
One Architecture. Built for flexibility. Designed for performance.
AURA is built on a single architecture engineered to handle multiple propellants without major hardware changes. At its core is AURA-X — our xenon-driven engine delivering exceptional efficiency, endurance, and sustainable performance in ultra-low orbit . The same foundation powers AURA-A, our air-driven variant, with further room for future models using other propellants. This unified design enables adaptability across missions while maintaining world-class efficiency.
Integrated System
Our propulsion system is fully integrated and developed in-house, including the thruster, cathode, propellant management system and electronics.
Thruster
A radio-frequency (RF) generator excites the propellant gas, stripping electrons and forming a plasma. The positively charged ions are then accelerated through grids, producing thrust.
Cathode
Our cathode injects a steady stream of electrons into the ion beam, neutralizing the exhaust and preventing spacecraft charging.
AURA. We’ve been perfecting this engine for the last four years.
From breakthrough concept to flight-ready technology, our journey to unlock Earth's lowest orbit.
2025
Pre-flight generation
7th engine generation - fully integrated unit designed to pass pre-launch tests.
2024
Optimized performance
6th engine generation with built-in electronics and control algorithms.
2023
Integrated Propulsion
4th generation of the engine with integrated electronics, passes continuous 24-hour operational tests.
2022
Stable operation
3rd generation which demonstrated stable and efficient operations.
2021
First Ignition
Demonstration of the first New Orbit engine.
The numbers behind the wonder.
Meet AURA-X, our breakthrough xenon-driven propulsion system, driving unmatched efficiency, sustained operation at ultra-low Earth orbit. It delivers four times higher specific impulse than typical alternatives, requiring four times less propellant.
(s) Specific impulse
Specifications
• Propellant
Xenon
• Total Power
100-750 W
• Thrust level
4-20 mN
• Specific impulse
up to 4500 s
AURA-A: Air-breathing propulsion.
Explore the technical specifications behind AURA, the world's first air-breathing ion thruster.
Specifications
• Propellant
Air (N2/O2 mixture)
• Total power
500-1500 W
• Thrust level
1-18 mN
• Specific impulse
up to 8700 s
