NASA's new pink aerospace fuel-safer, more efficient, and less toxic

SpaceX will carry a satellite designed to test a new type of rocket fuel in today's heavy falcon rocket launch mission. This is the first "green" propellant in space, but it does not look green. According to NASA, this fuel is a mixture of ammonium hydroxynitrate fuel / oxidant known as AF-M315E, which is orange-red and has less toxicity than ***.

The new "green" propellant tested on the CubeSat is actually orange-red. (Photo: Air Force Research Laboratory)

After carrying the CubeSat into space, this "galaxy rose" is part of a technical demonstration mission, NASA called this mission Green Fuel Infusion Mission (GPIM, Green Propellant Infusion Mission). One of more than twenty payloads.

This fuel was first developed by the US Air Force more than 20 years ago. It is a safer alternative to traditional satellite propellants such as hydrazine. Hydrazine is the fuel of choice for satellites and space machines. They all rely on this fuel in space. Activities; however, hydrazine is incredibly toxic to humans and the environment.

Because hydrazine is toxic and highly flammable, even simple handling of these substances is very dangerous for the staff. This operation requires anyone who comes into contact with this inorganic compound to wear pressure Full body protective clothing. Therefore, it is not unreasonable for NASA to replace it with something more humanized and more conducive to the development of the earth.

This new AF-M315E pink satellite juice is very safe and can even be transported through FedEx (FedEx), and due to its large density, fuel combustion performance has been greatly improved (equivalent to 50% more per gallon of gasoline Distance). This means that the spacecraft can fly farther, run longer, and carry less fuel. (The exact formula of this fuel has not been announced, but it is this mystery that gives it a charming color.)

This also means that it can be used for more types of satellites, such as cube satellites and other small spacecraft. Cube satellites are usually only the size of a shoe box and are too small to carry an effective propulsion system. But with this fuel, this situation may soon change.

To prove the feasibility of this fuel in space, the AF-M315E will power the "small satellite" spacecraft made by Ball Aerospace. In the planned 13-month mission, the spacecraft will perform a series of operations to determine how effective the new propellant is.

If everything goes according to plan, future spaceships (regardless of size) can rely on this pink fuel to navigate the universe.