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NASA's new methane powered thruster — Parallax Forums

NASA's new methane powered thruster

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  • LoopyBytelooseLoopyByteloose Posts: 12,537
    So it seems cows and pigs could be put on board a mission to Mars to provide both food and fuel... gotta have hambergers and hot dogs on a long mission.
  • YanomaniYanomani Posts: 1,524
    Don't forget termites!

    They are fairly good doing that job, and don't sound that loud as the ones you listed.

    Also, they don't compete with humans for food.
  • LoopyBytelooseLoopyByteloose Posts: 12,537
    Termites? no milk for lattes. do you have any good termite recipes?
  • MikeDYurMikeDYur Posts: 2,176
    At what point does the complexity of a system outweigh the benefits. If I we're an astronaut who's life depended on an engine, I would probably go with something tried and true,
    Rocket Fuel + Ignition Sorce = Thrust

  • LoopyBytelooseLoopyByteloose Posts: 12,537
    edited 2015-10-29 14:59
    I am still unsure that a journey to Mars isn't going to simply be too much radiation exposure for humans. A methane powered lander is a bit down the line on my check list of 'ready to go'. It just opens up a whole line of flatulence jokes and snarks.

    Three to ten years of living in a tiny tin can and eating a limited menu would be brutal. Yes, we can get a rocket to Pluto and beyond. But riding a rocket so far and so long seems like cruel and unusual punishment.

    There are also all the affects of zero or lighter gravity that might permanently cripple you. Space may not be the 'final frontier' so much as the 'final barrier'. Perhaps we might do better by staying home and making an effort to respect each other more.

    On earlier dangerous missions, didn't the Russians send a dog or a monkey first to see that it was feasible? A cow or pig might not be such a silly idea for a first live voyager to Mars.
  • koehlerkoehler Posts: 598

    The most obvious thing is to go ahead with a manned moon base, from which you use solar to split water into hydrogen and oxygen. Can it, send out a bunch of refills ahead along the planned route, and get there in weeks instead of forever.
    Keep the exotic stuff for tertiary backup case.

    It would probably end up being cheaper in the long run, and we'd end up with some moon infrastructure to boot.
  • LoopyBytelooseLoopyByteloose Posts: 12,537
    Why not just stockpile water in space, and have the spaceship handle conversion to hydrogen and oxygen on the demand. Hydrogen is difficult to contain.

    Maybe a space station could better harvest atmosphreic moisture as a more abundant source.
  • MikeDYurMikeDYur Posts: 2,176
    Sorry folks my bags are packed, I'll let you know how we do it, when we get there.
    Mars Insight Boarding Passes.jpg
    1200 x 981 - 185K
  • koehlerkoehler Posts: 598
    Loopy Byteloose wrote: »
    Why not just stockpile water in space, and have the spaceship handle conversion to hydrogen and oxygen on the demand. Hydrogen is difficult to contain.

    Maybe a space station could better harvest atmosphreic moisture as a more abundant source.

    Hmm, thats a possibility. However that means:

    1 Fuel wasted launching unrefined water vs refined propellant
    2. Mars craft will have additional mass for larger and electrolysis manf. and solar panels along entire flight path
    3. Safety/risk level. With a lunar base which we need to build at some point anyways, its negligible to shoot out 2x as many needed fuel containers as needed, just in case.

    Of course, would be nice if the ISS could obtain water somehow and accomplish this.



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