A new cheaper spacecraft fuel is now in development. Experts claimed that this new power source could change the rising space industry, especially since various agencies and independent companies are active in out-of-this-world missions.
This new fuel is specifically iodine, a non-metallic solid when it is in its normal condition. However, most space companies are not relying on iodine to power their rockets and other spaceships.
As of the moment, most orbital aircraft models are using xenon to power their electric propulsion. However, this type of fuel is quite expensive to create.
Aside from this, it is also rare to find and very hard to store. However, experts claimed that iodine fuel could change this current fuel scenario in the growing space industry.
New Cheaper Spacecraft Fuel
According to Independent UK's latest report, the use of iodine could solve some of the issues in space flight activities and the rockets being launched.
Compared to xenon, the newly discovered spacecraft fuel is cheaper and easier to find. On the other hand, since its original form is solid, space agencies could store it without any hassle.
Now, a new test was able to use the new power source in a small satellite orbiting the planet. Involved experts demonstrated the fuel's efficiency by using it on 20 kilograms sat, which was launched back in 2020. You can visit this link to see more details.
New Countries Now Joining the Space Race
The latest iodine fuel could be a major breakthrough once it is officially used as one of the main power sources for rockets, especially since new countries are planning to join the space race.
The New York Times reported that Indonesia could also enter the spaceflight industry. The country's president, Joko Widodo, said they are planning to build a spaceport to modernize the Southeast Asian island.
Jeff Bezos announced that he would soon focus on space travel and climate change in other news. On the other hand, new research revealed that Earth satellites are increasing.
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Written by: Griffin Davis
