VLEO Beyond the Heat Shield: DARPA’s Quest for Spacecraft Skins That Defy Orbital Drag and Atomic Decay

The Inescapable Challenge of VLEO As the space domain becomes increasingly congested, contested, and competitive, the United States is turning its eyes to Very Low Earth Orbit (VLEO)—typically between 180 km and 450 km altitude—as the next frontier for tactical advantage. This region offers unmatched benefits: reduced latency for communications, enhanced ground resolution for imaging,…