Аннотация:Significant increase in efficiency of performing the target tasks by a spacecraft could be ensured at the ultra-low altitudes of 120-250 km. To compensate for the increasing aerodynamic drag, it is advisable to use the air-breathing electric propulsion (ABEP), where the surrounding atmosphere gases serve as the propellant. This paper presents a solution to the problem of synthesizing optimal control over the ABEP thrust vector for the long-term spacecraft keeping in an ultra-low (120-250 km) Earth orbit (ULEO). Dependences of the ABEP spacecraft with solar panels (SP) drag on the angle of attack and the ABEP characteristics influence on gas concentration in the ionization chamber are taken into account. The most general case of an elliptical orbit with the ultra-low perigee is considered; it expands control capabilities and the domain of existence of a problem solution in comparison with the only circular orbits. Increasing the apogee altitude allows accumulating the SP energy without significant aerodynamic losses to stabilize the orbit using the ABEP operating in the perigee vicinity. Cases of the plasma controllable and fixed exhaust velocity from the ABEP are considered. Solutions are obtained using the Pontryagin's maximum principle for dynamic model of motion of a spacecraft center of mass in the osculating orbital elements. Using the developed analytical synthesis of the optimal control, a parametric study is carried out, and the design parameter ranges for a spacecraft, ABEP and SP are obtained to ensure a long-term spacecraft flight in the ULEO.