Questions tagged [propulsion]
Systems for propelling a spacecraft from one place to another, such as rockets.
618 questions
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Can a specific impulse and exhaust velocity be defined (or at least estimated) for pulsed explosive rocket engines?
I ask this because Project Orion suggested using nuclear bombs as a method of pulsed propulsion, so I was wondering about the possibility of replacing the nuclear bit for conventional bombs. However, ...
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${}^{3}$He based fusion propulsion, linear magnetic confinement with MeV protons out one end; new or old idea, and what are major challenges/concerns?
CNN's April 3, 2025 Nuclear-powered rocket concept could cut journey time to Mars in half describes a commercial effort to build a form of nuclear space propulsion based on fusion of very light ...
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Idea for space propulsion [closed]
Do you think this Idea is possible? Thank you It is simillar to EmDrive. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/EmDrive
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What is it about metal propellant that can provide a "magnitude improvement in thrust, with a magnitude reduction in volume and mass”?
This question is inspired by recent news about a startup company Magdrive CNN's March 18, 2025 Satellites powered by solid metal could one day use space junk for fuel Space News' February 25, 2025 ...
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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 ...
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Could we possibly send a cubesat to Proxima Centauri? [duplicate]
Could we send a functional satellite in orbit of the closest star after the Sun? Napkin calculation gives 80 000 years at the rate Voyager 1 is going. What about a small craft, propelled with a large ...
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Which speed did already functional plasma engine satellites/probes reach?
According to this, Russia Claims New Plasma-Based Engine Could Cut Mars Travel to Just 30 Days Using regular fuel combustion, rockets have a maximum matter flow velocity of roughly 2.7 miles per ...
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Could the shuttle have avoided the umbilical plate if the LH2 and LOx had been piped directly to the nozzles?
One of the riskier components of the Shuttle's design (that fortunately never failed) are the umbilical doors on the rear underside of the orbiter. There are probably aerodynamic and structural ...
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Compressed helical spring powering an early stage of rocket
We take a (ball point pen ink tube) and (press release/retract spring) as a model for storing potential energy (PE). The ink tube can be projected up by the spring when kept free. Is it possible to ...
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Why don't we put heat exchangers inside the combustion chamber of closed expander rockets?
In the 1986 and 1987 papers by Tanatsugu et. al. they first proposed and then built a 150kN closed expander cycle LH2/LOX engine with a heat exchanger within the main combustion chamber. Their motive ...
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How to account for the mass of solid propellant lost when measuring the thrust produced in Newtons?
I've had some confusion on how to calculate the mass-lost during the burning of solid-propellant $\require{mhchem} \ce{(C_{12} H_{22} O_{11} + KNO_3)}$ throughout the time interval of the burning. ...
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Combustion gas of gas generator right through nozzle?
I was reading page (13) of the book "Rocket, Owner's Workshop Manual" and I came across this diagram: Does the gas generator exhaust gas go directly to the combustion chamber in the engine ...
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How do I learn more about rocketry?
I've always been inclined to rocketry from a young age. I've done several projects on it and a lot of research. Now, with the help of a friend, I've also found this place of smart beings. I'm just ...
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What are the largest and smallest ion thruster proper used in 21st century spaceflight in our solar system?
We know that ion propulsion was in use elsewhere in the galaxy in the 23rd century (humor) but it started development here on Earth in the 20th. When did ion propulsion first see some serious ...
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Where does the energy in ion propulsion come from?
Sorry if this is a stupid question, I'm currently trying to learn about electric and ion propulsion. I understand that for chemical propulsion, the energy released from the chemical bonds during the ...
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