Filed under: Emerging Technologies, Etc.
Georgia Tech develops a new rocket engine that uses 40% less fuel
We don't usually cover things like rocket engines, as they cannot really be classified as being "green" in any sense of the word. This one is really no different, but it is 40 percent better than the engines currently in use, so I decided to go ahead and share it with all of you. I can't give too much commentary on how this works, but the article mentions that the engine can use solar power in space, and operators on the ground can control the exhaust thrust, sort of like how one might "shift gears" in a car using the transmission. Researchers from Georgia Tech were able to perform these modifications on an engine that was donated from major jet and rocket engine manufacturer Pratt & Whitney.Do AutoblogGreen readers have any opinions on this? Possible automotive uses would include launching the satellites that we rely on for our GPS tracking services, weather satellites and communication systems. More and more functions on earth require satellites, and this new engine is a way to get them into space using significantly less fuel.
[Source: Gizmag]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Mike Z 9:10AM (3/07/2007)
I think the main point is that this is a station keeping thruster. Generally they are used once the satellite is in orbit to keep the correct orbital location. The efficiency of the rocket is measured in impulse seconds (ISP) and generally improved by increasing the exit velocity of the propellant (F=M x A).
It should be noted that this technology could NEVER actually be applied to a traditional 'rocket' for getting a payload into orbit. The needed thrust is simply too great to be provided by electricity. The actual booster rocket that a gets a payload to orbit is basically all fuel. The 'mass-frac' which means the amount of the rocket by weight that is propellant (fuel and oxidizer) Is usually around 95%.
The actual spacecraft, MAY, depending on application, also be comprised mainly of fuel--A geocom sat generally is about 70-80% fuel at beginning of life. However, remember that maybe 100 times more fuel was used to get the spacecraft to orbit to begin with.
The advantage of the technology is that it can extend the useful life of the spacecraft or meet the same lifetime with less weight (and thus a smaller rocket). Overall, however given the space industries contribution to solar technology, I'm not sure that increasing the life cycle of satellites is a going to be a net benefit.
Overall however the actual environmental benefits are highly questionable. The cost benefits are obvious.
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kert 2:13PM (3/07/2007)
Yes, we have a word. Elon Musk, the primary sponsor of Tesla Motors is building up a rocket company, SpaceX, which hopes to do an inaugural launch in a few weeks. Why ?
Primarily, to get humanity off this one rock for once and for all, so we can run our polluting industries, and dig for resources in places where we dont destroy our ecosystem.
I, for one, applaud him for this noble goal, and i think its time for a lot of "greens" to look beyond earth for a lot of worlds raw resources and energy solutions.
We could have had solar power satellites providing completely clean energy for us decades ago, had the governments paying attention or actually willing to provide solutions.
Luckily, enterpreneurs like Musk are now picking up where NASA and DOE left off before Apollo.
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