Invention And Use Of Propellant Depots

By David Roberts


Research is still being carried out in the movement of big space crafts to the outer space and how they can cruise around space without losing fuel. It is through this that there has led to the invention and use of propellant depots as a way of ensuring that these missions become successful. These are tanks that are designed to carry fuel for rockets that are in space.

They are made to act like refueling stations for the rockets within space. Without the use of these structures, the rockets cannot be able to move for long distance since they would run out of fuel. These compartments are built with a docking space where the rockets connect with them to get fuel.

The function of these stations is to keep the gas in the compartment and allow the ships to dock on it and get fuel from it. It also keeps it at a stable temperature so that it does not boil away or be affected by its surrounding conditions. Apart from all these roles, it also allows other empty rockets and spaceships to get fuel from it even if they have zero gravity.

The fuels that are kept in these tanks are at very high temperatures thus these compartments are to be kept away from heat. They are built with special materials that are used to keep these tanks with constant temperatures, one being a multilayered insulator which gets rid of any hit conduction from the tank plus a cooler that is kept on by two solar panels which reduce the temperature of the fuel and turns it back to liquid form. Another material added is a sunblock that prevents heat that radiated from the sun from reaching the tank.

Scientists have come up with the right design that they would choose from the other models proposed as they build the machine. The design has to be built with the three compartments to maintain the fuel in good condition. Fuel maintenance is one of the factors that is taken into consideration as the tank is assembled since they do not want a case where it explodes or boils off before it is positioned in space.

The place in which the tank will be placed is important as the tank is being constructed. They are to be strategically placed in outer space so that the rockets can be able to reach them easily. Through this, anyone who runs out of gas while still in space can be able to get a refill.

These tanks are must be constructed most especially for a big craft that may blast out of space. The space ships can launch from earth empty and get to space them and be filled with this tanks before getting to their destination. This can be advantageous also for the space ships that have been previously used to be reused in the next mission because of the presence of this tank.

Through this technology, more scientists will be able to access space and learn more new things. Now that there is a continuous study of other planets that can support life this technology will be very useful to those exploring these planets. They are also reliable to scientists who are going must be in space for a long time.




About the Author: