Re:Space company is betting its future on a propellant avail...
by rbanffy on Wednesday November 04, 2026 @09:53AM
(#50366363)
> The reason this is a dumb idea is because eloctrolysis is the hardest and least efficient way to get hydrogen.
That's irrelevant in this case - power comes from the solar panels, electrolysis breaks enough water for the next engine firing, and the result is they get higher thrust than they would with an electric engine for the same total mass. Water is just a dense way of packing hydrogen and oxygen to run the chemical rocket, without requiring cryogenic storage.
That's irrelevant in this case - power comes from the solar panels, electrolysis breaks enough water for the next engine firing, and the result is they get higher thrust than they would with an electric engine for the same total mass. Water is just a dense way of packing hydrogen and oxygen to run the chemical rocket, without requiring cryogenic storage.