Methane
Revision as of 04:17, 18 November 2007 by PeterBrett (talk | contribs) (New page: '''Methane''' is the lightest of the hydrocarbons, consisting of a single carbon atom bonded to four hydrogen atoms. Methane is of particular interest for missions to Mars, as it ...)
Methane is the lightest of the hydrocarbons, consisting of a single carbon atom bonded to four hydrogen atoms.
Methane is of particular interest for missions to Mars, as it may be possible to produce it in situ using locally-available raw materials. This would make it an ideal fuel for rovers and rocket engines.
A number of LOX/methane fueled rockets are under development, such as the XR5M15 and TR-408.
