Comments on: NASA tests a methane engine http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2007/05/07/nasa-tests-a-methane-engine/ I am an astronomer, writer, and skeptic. I likes reality the way it is, and I aims to keep it that way. My real name is Phil Plait, and I run the Bad Astronomy blog. Sun, 05 Jul 2009 01:59:19 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.3.1 By: Crux Australis http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2007/05/07/nasa-tests-a-methane-engine/#comment-35832 Crux Australis Wed, 09 May 2007 19:12:55 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2007/05/07/nasa-tests-a-methane-engine/#comment-35832 Oh man, that's what you get for typing with a 3 year old on your lap! Notice doesn't start with a u and that's not how you spell engine! Oh man, that’s what you get for typing with a 3 year old on your lap! Notice doesn’t start with a u and that’s not how you spell engine!

]]> By: Crux Australis http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2007/05/07/nasa-tests-a-methane-engine/#comment-35831 Crux Australis Wed, 09 May 2007 19:11:27 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2007/05/07/nasa-tests-a-methane-engine/#comment-35831 uNotice the truck tip forward when the ebgibe fires up? As Pinky would say, "naaaaaaarrrfff!" uNotice the truck tip forward when the ebgibe fires up? As Pinky would say, “naaaaaaarrrfff!”

]]> By: Gary Ansorge http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2007/05/07/nasa-tests-a-methane-engine/#comment-35830 Gary Ansorge Wed, 09 May 2007 15:19:18 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2007/05/07/nasa-tests-a-methane-engine/#comment-35830 Cool. Another bloody chemical powered reaction device. I have no use for these "improvements". Low specific thrust, Very large volume storage tanks, low payload capacity. When will we have nuke powered space craft??? Think about it,,, GAry 7 Ps, oh yeah, Methane COULD be a good source of reaction mass for a nuke driver,,, Cool. Another bloody chemical powered reaction device.
I have no use for these “improvements”. Low specific thrust, Very large volume storage tanks, low payload capacity.

When will we have nuke powered space craft???

Think about it,,,

GAry 7
Ps, oh yeah, Methane COULD be a good source of reaction mass for a nuke driver,,,

]]> By: » Links for 09-05-2007 » Velcro City Tourist Board » Blog Archive http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2007/05/07/nasa-tests-a-methane-engine/#comment-35829 » Links for 09-05-2007 » Velcro City Tourist Board » Blog Archive Wed, 09 May 2007 03:39:03 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2007/05/07/nasa-tests-a-methane-engine/#comment-35829 [...] - NASA tests a methane engine “…when they do get bigger, and can be used for solar system exploration, there’s [...] […] - NASA tests a methane engine “…when they do get bigger, and can be used for solar system exploration, there’s […]

]]> By: The Squid Zone http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2007/05/07/nasa-tests-a-methane-engine/#comment-35828 The Squid Zone Wed, 09 May 2007 02:38:52 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2007/05/07/nasa-tests-a-methane-engine/#comment-35828 <strong>Methane rocket...</strong> This is about 100 different kinds of cool. Click the picture to go to the NASA web site. There you can play the video of a test firing of a new methane-fuelled rocket. It works best if you can crank... Methane rocket…

This is about 100 different kinds of cool. Click the picture to go to the NASA web site. There you can play the video of a test firing of a new methane-fuelled rocket. It works best if you can crank…

]]> By: Troy http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2007/05/07/nasa-tests-a-methane-engine/#comment-35827 Troy Wed, 09 May 2007 02:03:23 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2007/05/07/nasa-tests-a-methane-engine/#comment-35827 As far as getting methane from places like Titan and Jupiter. I've always thought it was interesting that in cases such as that where you have a reducing atmosphere you need to bring along and manufacture your oxidizer. In our oxidizing atmosphere we take for granted that there is plenty of oxygen out there to act as the ultimate accepter of electrons after we burn fuel so the quest for fuel is paramount. On Titan or Jupiter the fuel is free you have to go to heroic methods to get your oxidizer. For example a Bunsen burner on Jupiter you'd hook up to the oxygen and adjust the 'air' as your methane source. Of course when we fly into space out of the atmosphere I suspect that the oxidizer (liquid oxygen in many cases) is once again the harder thing to manufacture than the reducer, but for us sea level dwellers abundant methane seems like a free lunch when in fact it isn't. As far as getting methane from places like Titan and Jupiter. I’ve always thought it was interesting that in cases such as that where you have a reducing atmosphere you need to bring along and manufacture your oxidizer. In our oxidizing atmosphere we take for granted that there is plenty of oxygen out there to act as the ultimate accepter of electrons after we burn fuel so the quest for fuel is paramount. On Titan or Jupiter the fuel is free you have to go to heroic methods to get your oxidizer. For example a Bunsen burner on Jupiter you’d hook up to the oxygen and adjust the ‘air’ as your methane source.
Of course when we fly into space out of the atmosphere I suspect that the oxidizer (liquid oxygen in many cases) is once again the harder thing to manufacture than the reducer, but for us sea level dwellers abundant methane seems like a free lunch when in fact it isn’t.

]]> By: Crux Australis http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2007/05/07/nasa-tests-a-methane-engine/#comment-35826 Crux Australis Tue, 08 May 2007 22:17:30 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2007/05/07/nasa-tests-a-methane-engine/#comment-35826 Actually it looks crap on my work computer. Can't wait to get it home! Actually it looks crap on my work computer. Can’t wait to get it home!

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