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Astrochemistry

Periodic Graphics

Periodic Graphics: Fuels for space travel

Chemical educator and Compound Interest blogger Andy Brunning explores the fuels that propel spacecraft.

by Andy Brunning, special to C&EN
December 2, 2022 | A version of this story appeared in Volume 100, Issue 43
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Infographic on what fuels spacecraft. Solid propellants use granules of solid oxidizer mixed with powdered fuel, and liquid propellants use liquefied gases as oxidizer and fuel. Once spacecraft are in space, they can generate thrust from chemical reactions that produce gas (such as from the decomposition of hydrazine) or from accelerated ionized propellants. Other methods of propulsion are in varying stages of development.


To download a pdf of this article, visit http://cenm.ag/spacecraft.

References used to create this graphic:

National Aeronautics and Space Administration. “Fired Up: Engines and Motors Put Artemis Mission in Motion.” Feb. 3, 2022.

National Aeronautics and Space Administration. “In-Space Propulsion.” Chap. 4.0 in State-of-the-Art Small Spacecraft Technology. Moffett Field, CA: Ames Research Center, October 2021; last modified Nov. 4, 2021.

National Aeronautics and Space Administration. “NASA—Ion Propulsion.” Jan. 11, 2016; last modified Aug. 7, 2017.

Perry, Beverly. “We’ve Got (Rocket) Chemistry, Part 1 .” Rocketology: NASA’s Space Launch System (blog). NASA. April 15, 2016.

Perry, Beverly. “We’ve Got (Rocket) Chemistry, Part 2.” Rocketology: NASA’s Space Launch System (blog). NASA. April 21, 2016.

A collaboration between C&EN and Andy Brunning, author of the popular graphics blog Compound Interest

To see more of Brunning’s work, go to compoundchem.com. To see all of C&EN’s Periodic Graphics, visit http://cenm.ag/periodicgraphics.

 

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