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Methane can be the modern rocket propellant.

   Methane can be the modern rocket propellant. 


Methane is the simplest hydrocarbon. That hydrocarbon has one carbon and four hydrogen atoms. It's quite easy to separate carbon from methane, and that thing produces hydrogen. Methane is easy to produce. 

And when that bacteria destroys organic materials, it produces methane. The carbon makes methane so-called greenhouse gas. But removing carbon is possible to create hydrogen. 



Both hydrogen and methane are next-generation rocket fuels. The startup company called "Orbital Fab" was introduced to create orbital gasoline stations for satellites. 

That tanker-satellite transfers hydrazine into other satellites. But that system could also use some more environmentally friendly fuels like methane. 

And that satellite can involve a bioreactor, where bacteria turn organic material into methane. Space shuttles like X-37B can use those spaceborne petroleum stations. Or they can transfer fuel to space. 

But if the system can produce fuel in space it's more capable. Another thing is that the system must create oxygen because rocket engines require fuel and oxygen that they burn. 

In that case, the modified biological life support systems where biological components like green algae make oxygen can be suitable for making fuel and oxygen for rocket engines in spaceborne unmanned petroleum stations. That keeps launching prices low, because fuel and oxygen must not carry from Earth to space. 





That orbital petrol station can pump that methane into other satellites and refill satellites' fuel storage. That increases their operational time. Filled fuel tanks can also offer the possibility to change trajectory fast if something travels in impact course into it. 

Engineers can use methane as a propellant for regular rocket engines. Or the electrochemical rockets where an electric arc expands propellant can use methane. Methane can also as fuel in the spacecraft's fuel cells. 

The thing that makes methane interesting is that it can created from the biowaste. That means its production is cheap. Methane is also suitable fuel for aircraft. Methane is a suitable fuel for fast interceptors and hypersonic systems. 

Japanese and Chinese space actors tested methane as rocket fuel. The results are good. Because methane production is based on carbage and biological processes, that makes it is possible to turn waste into diamonds. In most environmental-friendly solutions. The system separates carbon from methane, and then hydrogen will conduct rocket engines. And the system can use carbon as nanotubes. Or it can pressed into the diamonds. Those things are easy to store. 


https://arstechnica.com/space/2023/07/chinese-company-wins-race-for-first-methane-fueled-rocket-to-orbit/


https://interestingengineering.com/innovation/cow-dung-powered-space-rocket-engine-successfully-tested-in-japan


https://interestingengineering.com/innovation/orbitfab-ispace-lunar-propellant-innovation


https://www.orbitfab.com/news/hydrazine-fuel-price/


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