Specificimpulseis a measureofhoweffectivelytheenergycontentwithinthepropellantactuallyisconvertedintothrust.
Soweaken.
Basically, thinkofthisas a rocketsfueleconomy, similartowhatyoufindwhenyourcarshop, knowingtheefficiencyofthepropellantactuallyhelpsustocalculatejusthowfarwecango.
But a majordrawbackofusingliquidhydrogenisitsdensity.
With a relativelylowdensityofonly 70 g perleader, thisrequiresengineerstousemuchbiggerfueltanksthantheywoulduseforhigherdensityfuelslikeheresy, whichwasthefuelthatbroughtastronautstothemoonbackintheApolloair.
Sohaving a propellantwiththehigherdensitymeans a smallerfueltank, ah, lightofrocketandtheabilitytogofurtherdistancesfastforward.
Another 20 yearstotwothousands, whereRussia's RD 1 80 engineandthespace X MerlinengineutilizedcombinationofRPoneandliquidoxygenand R.
P oneisreallyjust a highlyrefinedformofkerosene.
Thisismainlyusedforitsincrediblyhighdensityabout 806 g perliter, makingRPonetheidealfueltopackasmuchpoweraspossibleinto a smallerfueltank.
SixScientistslookat a differentpropelling, whichcouldbeusedspecificallyforMarsexploration.
Enterthespace X RaptureengineanditsnextgenerationpropellingThisengineused a combinationofliquidmethaneandliquidoxygentocreatewhatis, inmyopinion, theperfectmixturefor a reusablevehicleonMars.
Notonlyisthisanefficientfuel, butitcouldeasilybecreatedusingresourcethatweconfinedontheRedPlanet, andthisisgreatbecauseoneofSpace X's maingoalsistocreate a systemthatcouldtakehumanstoMarsandbackbothMethaneandCo.
Twocouldbeextractedfromtheatmosphere.
UsingsolarpowerandwatercouldbeminenearthesurfaceofMarsusingwellsandwecomparedtoRPone, methanenotonlyhas a higherspecificimpulseandthecoolercombustiontemperature, butitalsopreventscocaine, whichisthebuildupofdepositsintheengine, preventingcokingismorecofriendlyapproachbecauseitallowsthesameenginetobeusedoverandoveragainwhilenotdepositingtoxicchemicalsintotheatmosphere.
Nowwe'veneversenthumanstoMarsbefore.
Wesent a tonofroboticmissionsthere, butneveractualhumans.
AndnowSpace X ismakingiteveneasierAsrecentlyasAugust 2020.
SpaceSixesRaptureEnginehas a majormilestoneintheirenginedevelopmentprocess.