How fast can a hydrogen rocket go?

The hydrogen-oxygen reaction generates tremendous heat, causing the water vapor to expand and exit the engine nozzles at speeds of 10,000 miles per hour! All that fast-moving steam creates the thrust that propels the rocket from Earth.

What is the most powerful rocket propellant?

Hydrogen
Hydrogen — a light and extremely powerful rocket propellant — has the lowest molecular weight of any known substance and burns with extreme intensity (5,500°F).

Does metallic hydrogen burn?

For rocket fuel, the hydrogen is used as a propellant because of its phase change from solid to gas – not burning (i.e reaction of oxygen and the metallic hydrogen does not occur). No chemical reaction is occurring here, and hence, it cannot be considered as ‘combustion’.

How long would it take to travel to Mars with nuclear rockets?

As a result, nuclear rockets travel twice as fast as chemical-driven spacecraft. Thus, a nuclear rocket could make a trip to Mars in as little as four months, and a trip to Saturn in as little as three years (as opposed to seven years).

Could rocket-powered fusion power a trip to Mars?

Rocket-powered fusion, however, could one day allow 30- and 90-day expeditions to Mars by making the trip more practical and less costly, experts claim. Scientists envision using a nuclear reactor to heat hydrogen to very high temperatures, which will then expand through a spacecraft’s nozzle to generate thrust.

Why don’t we use chemical rockets to travel to Mars?

For example, chemical engines produce relatively little power, making astronauts rely on planetary alignments, or “launch windows,” to provide an extra gravitational slingshot effect that helps catapult space vehicles into space. Moreover, chemical rockets are slow, making long trips to places like Mars impractical for manned missions.

How do we heat up liquid hydrogen in rockets?

In a nuclear thermal electric rocket, a small nuclear reactor heats up liquid hydrogen. The gaseous form of the element expands and shoots out of the thruster. “If we can cut transit time [to Mars] down by 30-60 days, it will improve the exposure to radiation facing the crew,” says Mr Cassidy.