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VLEO Under Examination for Possible Use by U.S. Space Force

Frank Wolfe

Thursday, August 28th, 2025

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VLEO Under Examination for Possible Use by U.S. Space Force

Albedo Space's Clarity-1 satellite was one of the payloads on a Transporter-13 rideshare mission aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launched from Vandenberg Space Force Base, Calif. on March 15 (SpaceX Photo)

The U.S. Space Force is examining very low Earth orbit (VLEO) for possible future use. LEO satellites typically orbit about 500 miles above Earth, while VLEO satellites are to operate at half that altitude and lower. "We're seeing more domains within space becoming relevant, and I think VLEO is one of them," Gillian Bussey, the Space Force's deputy chief science officer, said during question and answer at a panel on service innovation at the National Defense Industrial Association's Emerging Technologies…

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