3 ms·

Biggest thing to me is the use of fuel here. Liquified natural gas has a lot of benefits. Simpler pressurization system, less soot etc The future is exciting.

nickik 9y ago
One of the price advantages that Blue has over SpaceX is that they will fly with LNG rather then pure methane. Edit: Will New Glenn also not use a third gas for pressurisation? Like BFR?
- vermontdevil 9y ago
  That’s my understanding. They are to use LNG as it’s own pressurization. Reduces a lot of complexity. Details are still vague as far as I can read.
- jofer 9y ago
  Wait, I'm confused... LNG is pure methane. Are there rockets that use methane that aren't storing it as a liquid? I would have to guess that any rocket using methane would pressurize it enough to be in liquid form for storage, anyway. Surely they wouldn't use methane in a gas state... It would take up far too much space to be practical.
  - philipkglass 9y ago
    LNG is 85-95% methane, typically, with ethane making up most of the rest. It contains small amounts of propane and butane. I hadn't known that SpaceX was using a special grade of ~100% liquefied CH4 as nickik says above. EDIT: shale gas is richer in ethane and higher hydrocarbons than traditional sources of natural gas. Maybe SpaceX is sticking to 100% methane just so they don't have to ponder variability of composition depending on how gas is being extracted.
    - shmerl 9y ago
      Methane can be synthesized from CO2 and hydrogen. More complex hydrocarbons are way more difficult to produce. So pure methane based engine is a better method for using on other planets.
- greglindahl 9y ago
  When you liquefy natural gas, ethane and methane liquefy at different times, so it's relatively easy to purify methane. I don't know the price difference, do you?
ape4 9y ago
If this new rocket turned out better, I suppose SpaceX could license the tech.
- bergie 9y ago
  BFR (the new rocket SpaceX is designing) also uses methane in its Raptor engine
- toomuchtodo 9y ago
  Musk has mentioned SpaceX doesn't patent its innovations because you're competing against nation-states who don't have to follow the rules.
shmerl 9y ago
The major benefit is that it's possible to synthesize methane from carbon dioxide and hydrogen. Which is way easier let's say on Mars, than obtaining kerosene. See: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sabatier_reaction https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sabatier_reaction http://www.co2club.it/agenda/abstracts/19_Barbarossa.pdf http://www.co2club.it/agenda/abstracts/19_Barbarossa.pdf

nickik 9y ago

One of the price advantages that Blue has over SpaceX is that they will fly with LNG rather then pure methane. Edit: Will New Glenn also not use a third gas for pressurisation? Like BFR?

vermontdevil 9y ago
That’s my understanding. They are to use LNG as it’s own pressurization. Reduces a lot of complexity. Details are still vague as far as I can read.
jofer 9y ago
Wait, I'm confused... LNG is pure methane. Are there rockets that use methane that aren't storing it as a liquid? I would have to guess that any rocket using methane would pressurize it enough to be in liquid form for storage, anyway. Surely they wouldn't use methane in a gas state... It would take up far too much space to be practical.
- philipkglass 9y ago
  LNG is 85-95% methane, typically, with ethane making up most of the rest. It contains small amounts of propane and butane. I hadn't known that SpaceX was using a special grade of ~100% liquefied CH4 as nickik says above. EDIT: shale gas is richer in ethane and higher hydrocarbons than traditional sources of natural gas. Maybe SpaceX is sticking to 100% methane just so they don't have to ponder variability of composition depending on how gas is being extracted.
  - shmerl 9y ago
    Methane can be synthesized from CO2 and hydrogen. More complex hydrocarbons are way more difficult to produce. So pure methane based engine is a better method for using on other planets.
greglindahl 9y ago
When you liquefy natural gas, ethane and methane liquefy at different times, so it's relatively easy to purify methane. I don't know the price difference, do you?

ape4 9y ago

If this new rocket turned out better, I suppose SpaceX could license the tech.

bergie 9y ago
BFR (the new rocket SpaceX is designing) also uses methane in its Raptor engine
toomuchtodo 9y ago
Musk has mentioned SpaceX doesn't patent its innovations because you're competing against nation-states who don't have to follow the rules.

shmerl 9y ago

The major benefit is that it's possible to synthesize methane from carbon dioxide and hydrogen. Which is way easier let's say on Mars, than obtaining kerosene. See: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sabatier_reaction https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sabatier_reaction http://www.co2club.it/agenda/abstracts/19_Barbarossa.pdf http://www.co2club.it/agenda/abstracts/19_Barbarossa.pdf