Common questions

Which is the best fuel for a rocket?

Which is the best fuel for a rocket?

Liquids, in particular low temperature liquids, offer the highest specific impulse values and can be started and stopped at will throughout a mission, which makes them the best candidates for space travel. For example, liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen have a very high specific impulse and are used for the upper or second stages of a rocket.

Why are ionized gas used in rocket fuel?

In order to improve their efficiency, rockets need to be less fuel-hungry, which means the fuel needs to come out the back as fast as possible to give the desired momentum, and achieve the same thrust. Ionized gas, propelled through a rocket nozzle using a magnetic accelerator, weighs substantially less than traditional rocket fuels.

Why are different types of propellants used in rockets?

As a result, different propellants are used for different missions and differ among the stages of any given rocket. Propellants can be in the form of a solid, liquid or gas, each with their own advantages and disadvantages. Solid propellants have higher density–and therefore thrust.

What kind of fuel is used in space?

Today, liquid hydrogen is the signature fuel of the American space program and is used by other countries in the business of launching satellites. In addition to the Atlas, Boeing’s Delta III and Delta IV now have liquid-oxygen/liquid-hydrogen upper stages.

Liquids, in particular low temperature liquids, offer the highest specific impulse values and can be started and stopped at will throughout a mission, which makes them the best candidates for space travel. For example, liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen have a very high specific impulse and are used for the upper or second stages of a rocket.

In order to improve their efficiency, rockets need to be less fuel-hungry, which means the fuel needs to come out the back as fast as possible to give the desired momentum, and achieve the same thrust. Ionized gas, propelled through a rocket nozzle using a magnetic accelerator, weighs substantially less than traditional rocket fuels.

What kind of rocket fuel does Dawn use?

The spacecraft’s ion engine accelerates ions from xenon fuel 7-10 times faster than the exhaust of chemical engines. Without ion propulsion, Dawn would have needed ten times more fuel just to go to Vesta, which would have made the spacecraft heavier and demanded a much larger launch vehicle.

Today, liquid hydrogen is the signature fuel of the American space program and is used by other countries in the business of launching satellites. In addition to the Atlas, Boeing’s Delta III and Delta IV now have liquid-oxygen/liquid-hydrogen upper stages.

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Ruth Doyle