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Lastunexpectedhero t1_iybjtg5 wrote

At least cool shit like this, is still happening in the world.

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_gravy_train_ t1_iybkbg4 wrote

Technically out of this world.

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cannabisized t1_iybktxv wrote

hence why the discovery of ice patches on the moon was so important? future fuel for the spacecraft confirmed!

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Chance_Bluebird_5788 t1_iybnytn wrote

I thought that water was useful because it allows you to obtain H and O separately by electrolysis, then combine them for a powerful chemical reaction. Maybe that's what they're doing here and just not being clear about it. The way it's described it sounds like they're just heating up and expelling gaseous water which doesn't make a lot of sense to me, though I'm not an actual rocket scientist

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cannabisized t1_iybog1y wrote

they called it a "water propellant propulsion system" so I would assume it's just a very scientific way of say they boiled water and directed the steam out to aim themselves along

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passinglurker t1_iybso4s wrote

The simple steam thruster only has specific impulse of 70ms (for the layman trust me when I say this is low, most propellants measure in the triple digits or more). The reason they are doing this isn't for demonstrating ISRU or colonization technologies, its to demonstrate non-volatile low pressure propulsion and attitude control for rideshares cause primary customers already forking millions for a sat and its ride get nervous about the build quaility of bargain seeking hitchhikers laden with hydrazine.

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FNALSOLUTION1 t1_iybmkm6 wrote

To think with all our technological advancements steam is still a go to for multiple things.

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chadenright t1_iyc06xk wrote

Our civilization is founded on steam, built with steam, run by steam, could not survive long without a robust steam economy and many of our greatest advancements in energy and propulsion have either been, "This makes a more efficient steam," or, "This makes a more efficient use of steam."

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TailRudder t1_iyf9xxz wrote

Almost every power plant is a steam engine (turbine)

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badcatdog t1_iyccnl1 wrote

What this means, from Wiki:

>The propulsion system, called AQUARIUS, employs 8 water thrusters also used for attitude control (orientation) and momentum management.[10] The spacecraft will carry 1.5 kg of water,[10][11] and the complete propulsion system will occupy about 2.5 units out of the 6 units total spacecraft volume. The waste heat from the communication components is reused to assist in the heating of water vapor, which is heated to 100 °C (212 °F) at the pre-heater.[10] The AQUARIUS' water thrusters produce a total of 4.0 mN, a specific impulse (Isp) of 70 seconds, and consumes about 20 watts power.

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Muldertak t1_iybqnyo wrote

China Mieville looks on with approval

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qgmonkey t1_iybo99y wrote

Try horses next

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alphamone t1_iybrfjv wrote

So does it still count as a "cold gas thruster" if the gas is hotter than the usual gases used? (usually nitrogen is used rather than water steam)

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Orqee t1_iyc46um wrote

You can say that Japanese rocket did blow some serious steam right there.

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American-Punk-Dragon t1_iydis9c wrote

Somewhere in a large, car filled warehouse, Jay Leno just squeaked with excitement!!

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