All Questions
Tagged with design-alternativefuel
19 questions
1vote
1answer
130views
How does one make propellant from recycled space junk?
While Burn 1st stage structural material as fuel? asks about a spacecraft consuming itself, inspired by the Monty Python poem "Horace", yhis question is inspired by recent news about a ...
- 153k
-7votes
1answer
336views
Hydrogen-propelled space elevator [closed]
I'm working on a space elevator design using kerosene-burning jet engines and dirigibles supporting 1km stages of pipeline and cable stretching up to the end of the stratosphere (~50km), then using ...
-4votes
1answer
266views
How does SpaceX prevent fuel from cluttering together in zero G [closed]
What is the solution to stop fuel inside starship collecting in center of the tank during zero G flight? Here is a rough sketch of starship with rudimentary diaphragm system to control flow of fuel ...
0votes
1answer
118views
Semi-Cryogenic HTP/LH2 engine?
Also see HTP as oxidizer for main propulsion (for more info on history of H2O2/HTP in rocketry) Note: HTP and H2O2 will be used interchangeably I know the Black Arrow LV (The first orbital lipstick) ...
- 1,195
1vote
1answer
399views
Using Chimborazo as a rocket launching platform
Please consider this. Chimborazo is a sleeping volcano at 01°28′09″ S 78°49′03″ W. Its peak is 6263 metres above the sea level and because it is very near of the equator, the peak is more than 2 ...
- 13
2votes
1answer
167views
Decomposing HTP through regenerative cooling for use in closed expander cycle
HTP or high test peroxide has a long history as a low cost and high reliability oxidiser, and has had a lot of recent attention for its pseudo hypergolic nature when passed over a catalyst bed. ...
- 832
4votes
0answers
63views
Giving rocket propellants an opposite charge for perfect mixing?
One of the challenges in achieving theoretical efficiency is the mixing of both an oxidiser and fuel. This means separating both propellants from each other whilst pairing them with their counterpart. ...
- 832
7votes
1answer
1kviews
Using coolant as 3rd propellant
Rocket engines often have 2 propelants, one of which is used to cool the engine and after that the hot propellant is injected in the combustion chamber. Would make sense to have a third propellant ...
- 73
19votes
9answers
5kviews
Would it be practical to catch a rocket's exhaust to reuse it as fuel?
It's been some days that i think that would it be possible to make a ship that looks like this? The idea is to catch the fuel as you go. Would this make any sense or the thrust would be canceled by ...
-3votes
3answers
435views
energy needed to accelerate in space
I was thinking about possibility of cargo transport between, say, earth and mars when a “pusher” accelerates propulsion-less cargo vessel, which is catched and decelerated at the other end of ...
- 105
12votes
1answer
3kviews
Why is an inflatable balloon inside a fuel tank not used to prevent fuel from "sloshing around"?
After seeing all the Starship failures, having something with a membrane keep things in place seems like an obvious solution. Has it been considered or tested - or do we simply lack a material that is ...
- 759
2votes
1answer
323views
Potential Fusion Drive system calculation issue
I will start off by saying that this is an entirely hypothetical drive system with plenty of handwaving and optimistic physics. My question I think is fairly simple and may just be something that ...
- 173
5votes
3answers
676views
Have any rocket fuel systems actually been explosive, and could have detonated proper?
Never mind that this is the 18th question to have the rocket-explosion tag. To the question "Would the Dragon escape pod have survived this event?" asked about the AMOS-6 mission, Elon Musk ...
- 153k
10votes
6answers
3kviews
Using water as a high density storable hydro-lox propellant
Hydro/lox is an excellent fuel choice and has been used in many engine/rockets with high ISP requirements, however, the two biggest drawbacks of the propellant are its density and boil-off. Could this ...
- 832
8votes
1answer
510views
Has methylsilane (CH₆Si) ever been considered as fuel in rocketry?
Methylsilane CH6Si seems to have some useful properties for rocket fuel: high hydrogen content, 6 atoms per molecule, 13% of overall mass; high combustion energy, -2612 KJ/mol or 56.8 MJ/kg (better ...
- 2,341
