Tag

Water Propulsion

All articles tagged with #water propulsion

technology1 month ago•2 min saved

Water-Powered Propulsion Aims for Deep-Space Breakthrough

General Galactic plans to launch a 1,200-pound satellite on a SpaceX Falcon 9 in October that uses only water as propellant, testing both an electrolysis-driven electrical thruster and a hydrogen-oxygen chemical thruster. If successful, it could pave the way for in-space refueling and long-range missions by harvesting water on the Moon or Mars; however, water-based propulsion faces challenges like corrosion, added mass, and typically lower exhaust speeds, meaning the test must prove practical thrust for deep-space travel.

via Gizmodo|

#deep-space-travel #electrolysis #general-galactic

technology1 month ago•2 min saved

Water-to-Fuel: A Space Startup's Bold Test of Rocket Propulsion from H2O

Former SpaceX engineer Halen Mattison and General Galactic plan to launch an 1,100‑pound satellite on Falcon 9 to test turning water into rocket fuel: electrolyze water to hydrogen and oxygen for chemical propulsion, and drive oxygen to plasma for electric propulsion. While the approach could aid in-situ resource use and offer rapid thrust bursts, experts warn about potential electronics corrosion from ionized oxygen and the added mass of the electrolysis system; the concept remains controversial, though research into extracting water and oxygen from lunar or Martian regolith continues.

via Futurism|

#electrolysis #in-situ-resource-utilization #plasma-propulsion

space2 months ago•7 min saved

Water to Rocket Fuel: A Startup's Bet on In-Orbit Propulsion

General Galactic, led by former SpaceX engineers, plans a fall orbital test of water-based propellant on a 1,100-pound satellite, using electrolysis to create hydrogen and oxygen for chemical propulsion and a Hall thruster for electric propulsion. If successful, it could boost satellite maneuverability and help lay the groundwork for a Mars refueling network—but the approach faces material and efficiency hurdles and remains a high-uncertainty, long-term bet; the team has raised about $10 million in VC.

via WIRED|

#general-galactic #hall-thruster #rocket-fuel

science-and-technology2 years ago•0 min saved

"Water-Powered Nano Rocket Thruster: Fingertip-Sized Innovation"

Researchers from Imperial College London have developed a nano rocket engine called the ICE-Cube Thruster that runs on water and could be used to maneuver small satellites in space. The engine utilizes electrolysis to split water into hydrogen and oxygen, which are then fed into a combustion chamber and nozzle less than 1mm in length to produce thrust. This eliminates the need for bulky storage tanks, making it easier to miniaturize propulsion systems.

via Interesting Engineering|

#electrolysis #miniaturization #nano-rocket-thruster