This is Editorialised headline. Headline should be
Redwire Awarded $44 Million DARPA Contract to Advance Very Low-Earth Orbit Mission
Edit: And for those who are downvoting, it is actually in the guideline for submission. Otherwise please use the original title, unless it is misleading or linkbait; don't editorialize.
"air-breathing" is a common term for engines that use oxygen from the ambient air instead of from a tank - also people do this too. In this case though, it's just using the air as reaction mass though. Space begins at a lower altitude than the atmosphere ends so even a space-craft can be air-breathing, in principle, at least.
This whole thing is just corporate speak and self evangelising. There isn’t even any info on how it works.
This video covers the general concept, and even mentions redwire at the end
Air Breathing Satellites in Very Low Earth Orbit (13:12) - Eager Space : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vEfatzhHhvg
This is Editorialised headline. Headline should be
Redwire Awarded $44 Million DARPA Contract to Advance Very Low-Earth Orbit Mission
Edit: And for those who are downvoting, it is actually in the guideline for submission. Otherwise please use the original title, unless it is misleading or linkbait; don't editorialize.
How is this a spacecraft? It can't ever leave orbit of a planet with an atmosphere.
Neither could the space shuttle but surely that's a spacecraft. Why would it have to leave a planet to count?
It spends it's entire mission above the Kármán line (100km), so it is legitimately in space, and is therefore a spacecraft, like all other satellites.
Most spacecraft we know of never left the Earth orbit anyway.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spacecraft#Crewed_and_uncrewed...
To those wondering, this is about using the thin air of near space to maintain orbit, not Skylon/SABRE-style air-breathing launch vehicle.
See GOCE sat for reference:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GOCE
I am glad I am not the owner of rwd.com because I'd fire this writer. What the heck is an Air-Breathing Spacecraft?
It's a spacecraft that scoops up air to put into its propulsion system.
There's an annoying lack of details here, but that part is simple.
"air-breathing" is a common term for engines that use oxygen from the ambient air instead of from a tank - also people do this too. In this case though, it's just using the air as reaction mass though. Space begins at a lower altitude than the atmosphere ends so even a space-craft can be air-breathing, in principle, at least.