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{| class="wikitable sortable"
=== Fuel and Energy Sources for Spacecraft ===
! Drive Type
! Typical Isp (s)
! Typical Fuel
! Cost
! Infrastructure Dependence
! Typical Role
 
|-
| Methalox Chemical
| 350-380
| Methane / LOX
| Low
| Low
| General-purpose launches and orbital transfers
 
|-
| Hydrolox Chemical
| 430-460
| Hydrogen / LOX
| Medium
| Low
| High-performance launches, landers, and transfer craft
 
|-
| AluLOX Chemical
| 300-350
| Aluminum / Oxygen
| Low (Luna)
| Low
| Lunar shuttles and surface operations
 
|-
| HELL-V
| 800-1200*
| Laser + Hydrogen
| Medium
| Very High
| Surface-to-orbit launch
 
|-
| Nuclear Thermal Rocket (Hydrogen)
| 850-950
| Hydrogen
| High
| Low
| Deep-space exploration and fast transport
 
|-
| Nuclear Thermal Rocket (Ammonia)
| 350-450
| Ammonia
| Medium
| Low
| Cargo transport and bulk freight
 
|-
| Laser Thermal
| 1000-3000
| Hydrogen, Water, or Ammonia
| Low fuel cost
| High
| Laser Highway traffic
 
|-
| Laser Sail
| Effectively Unlimited
| None
| Very Low fuel cost
| Very High
| Bulk cargo and long-duration transport
 
|}


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{| class="wikitable sortable"
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| Very High
| Very High
| Bulk cargo and long-duration transport
| Bulk cargo and long-duration transport
|}
=== Fuel Station Codes ===


|}


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{| class="wikitable" style="float:left; margin-right: 15px;"
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{| class="wikitable"
! Code
! Code
! Fuel Services
! Service


|-
|-
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| E
| E
| Laser Highway beam services available
| Laser Highway beam services available
|-
| F
| Water available in commercial quantities


|}
|}
For ease, fuel costs relative to Mongoose are one jump = 1 burn; same 500/ton as a base cost.
'''Water and Space Travel'''
Water is one of the most important commodities in the Solar System. It can be used directly as reaction mass in some propulsion systems, converted into hydrogen and oxygen for conventional rocket fuels, or employed for life support and radiation shielding.
Unlike most fuels, water does not have a single specific impulse. Its performance depends entirely on the engine and heat source being used. The rise of Laser Highway propulsion has dramatically increased the value of water-rich locations throughout cislunar space and the asteroid belt.
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Latest revision as of 03:35, 5 June 2026

Fuel and Energy Sources for Spacecraft


Drive Type Typical Isp (s) Fuel Category Cost Infrastructure Dependence Typical Role
Methalox Chemical 350-380 A Low Low General-purpose launches and orbital transfers
Hydrolox Chemical 430-460 B Medium Low High-performance launches, landers, and transfer craft
AluLOX Chemical 300-350 C Low (Luna) Low Lunar shuttles and surface operations
HELL-V 800-1200 B Medium Very High Surface-to-orbit launch
Nuclear Thermal Rocket (Hydrogen) 850-950 B High Low Deep-space exploration and fast transport
Nuclear Thermal Rocket (Ammonia) 350-450 D Medium Low Cargo transport and bulk freight
Laser Thermal 1000-3000 B, C, D Low fuel cost High Laser Highway traffic
Laser Sail None Very Low fuel cost Very High Bulk cargo and long-duration transport

Fuel Station Codes

Code Service
A Methalox available
B Hydrolox available
C AluLOX available
D Ammonia available
E Laser Highway beam services available
F Water available in commercial quantities

For ease, fuel costs relative to Mongoose are one jump = 1 burn; same 500/ton as a base cost.

Water and Space Travel

Water is one of the most important commodities in the Solar System. It can be used directly as reaction mass in some propulsion systems, converted into hydrogen and oxygen for conventional rocket fuels, or employed for life support and radiation shielding.

Unlike most fuels, water does not have a single specific impulse. Its performance depends entirely on the engine and heat source being used. The rise of Laser Highway propulsion has dramatically increased the value of water-rich locations throughout cislunar space and the asteroid belt.


Back to Main Page