Over four years of operation in orbit.
After more than four years of operation in orbit and over 1,300 cumulative hours of operation, Genergo presents an update on the in-orbit validation of its propellant-free electromagnetic propulsion technology. Eight months after the technology’s first public presentation, the deep-tech company based in Como is releasing consolidated data from the experimental campaigns conducted in space. The most significant results concern the operational longevity of the first system launched and the orbit-maintenance tests carried out during the missions.
GEN01, the first generation of Genergo’s propulsion system, launched on May 25, 2022 aboard the SpaceX Transporter-5 mission, remains fully operational as of July 2026. After more than four years in space, the system continues to be available and functional every time it is activated, without dedicated hardware redundancy and without any maintenance intervention. During the mission, it withstood a G4-class geomagnetic storm that occurred in January 2026, confirming the system’s operational robustness even under particularly severe environmental conditions.
This demonstration of over four years of continuous operation represents a significant result for a newly conceived propulsion technology, allowing it to be evaluated over a time span comparable to the operational lifetime of many small satellites.
GEN01 is the first of three in-orbit validation systems developed by Genergo. It was followed by GEN02, launched on January 3, 2023 aboard the SpaceX Transporter-6 mission, and GEN03, launched on November 11, 2023 aboard the SpaceX Transporter-9 mission. All three systems are hosted on D-Orbit’s ION Satellite Carrier platforms. As of July 2026, the three missions have together accumulated 1,328 hours of operation and 1,538 activation cycles.
During the experimental campaigns, station-keeping tests were carried out that revealed repeatable and measurable propulsive effects on the host satellite. The results were evaluated by analyzing the satellite’s orbital parameters — in particular the Semi-Major Axis (SMA) — and comparing them against processed public NORAD Two-Line Element (TLE) data. Independent third parties specializing in orbital analysis, including international institutions, subsequently reviewed the full set of analyses. The data obtained were then validated through this independent verification process.
The technology, developed entirely in Italy, uses controlled electromagnetic pulses powered by electrical energy, without the use of propellant or mass expulsion. The absence of propellant storage and management systems reduces the complexity of the propulsion architecture and makes the solution particularly attractive for applications in Very Low Earth Orbit (VLEO), where atmospheric drag makes the availability of continuous propulsion strategically important for maintaining orbital altitude. The technology has reached a Technology Readiness Level (TRL) of 7/8 and is protected by a portfolio of international patents.
Since its public unveiling at Space Tech Expo Europe in Bremen in November 2025, Genergo has strengthened its presence in the international space ecosystem, taking part in major industry events throughout 2026, including SATELLITE 2026 in Washington and ASCEND 2026, organized by the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA), of which the company is a Corporate Member.
These results mark a major milestone in the technology’s development and reinforce its path toward industrialization. The next phases will focus on further characterizing the propulsion system’s performance across different mission profiles and satellite types, with the goal of completing its qualification for future commercial applications.
