Superconducting Magnets Steer Satellites Without Fuel
Meta commentary - no external expert source; basis: Tech.yahoo (2026-09-20). #MetaScience
A Box That Turns Spacecraft by Borrowing Earth’s Field
Most satellites in orbit today still steer themselves the way rockets have for sixty years: by burning chemicals. That works, but it means carrying fuel, and fuel runs out. When it does, the satellite drifts. A company called Zenno Astronautics has built a metal box that changes a spacecraft’s orientation without any propellant at all. [1] The device, which the company calls a Supertorquer, plugs into an existing satellite and uses superconducting magnets to push against Earth’s own magnetic field. By varying the strength and direction of the magnetic field it generates, the device produces a torque that rotates the spacecraft. Magnetic orientation itself is not a new idea. What is new is attempting it at higher orbits, where Earth’s magnetic field is far weaker. That is where the superconductors matter. The Supertorquer is also solid-state, meaning it has no moving parts that wear out over time — a detail that extends how long a satellite can keep working. Max Arshavsky, the company’s CEO and co-founder, frames the goal plainly: to live off the resources already available in space, rather than hauling everything from the ground. [1]
The Counter That Watches Charged Particles
Zenno has announced that its Supertorquer has been installed on Portal Space Systems’ Starburst-1, a spacecraft currently scheduled to launch in October. [1] The mission gives the company a chance to test a second possible benefit: using magnets to shield sensitive systems from radiation. Zenno has included a charged-particle counter on board, which will let the company test that potential in real time. Arshavsky describes the result as unlocking a new paradigm for space: an electromagnetic platform.
Sources
1. Yahoo Tech — Portal copy — Original: [](https://www.forbes.com/sites/the-prototype/2026/08/28/this-startup-is-building-superconducting-satellite-motors/)