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Is what the AF attempting much different from plans to make methane on Mars? https://www.space.com/future-astronauts-methane-rocket-fuel-mars https://www.space

• dredmorbius 5y ago
  The Mars process is the Sabatier process, rather than Fischer-Tropsh, and reuslts in methane (and water) rather than heavier alkanes (petroleum-analogue hydrocarbons). (Corrected from earlier misstatement of methanol production, thanks to philipkglass.)
  • philipkglass 5y ago
    The Sabatier process yields methane, the lightest member of the alkane series. Methane also has the best gravimetric energy density of the alkanes. But for ease of handling, heavier alkanes that liquefy at above-cryogenic temperatures are better.
    • dredmorbius 5y ago
      Thanks, corrected.