Quote:
Originally Posted by Zeke
...I'm far from a scientist, but seems I remember the main byproduct of rocket fuel combustion is water. But that was from the hydrogen/oxygen fuels. Other rockets have used kerosene or methane. Again, the byproducts don't seem to be anywhere near the foul byproducts of petroleum based fuels as we know them here on the ground.
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(ahem, hydrazine's not exactly a basket of kittens to put it mildly)
The problem is that isolating hydrogen (in particular) and oxygen is wasteful and messy. That's one big remaining hurdle to a "hydrogen economy". We're working on it though. It'll happen eventually - in many ways it's safer than gasoline, which if "invented" today would likely be a nonstarter. Solid state storage also is progressing so perhaps we won't even be dealing with rolling pressure vessels.
And yes, rockets are cool! Not sure I want a ride in one, not even sure if many of them are worth the effort and cost (I'm pretty meh on the moon thing), but nonetheless they're cool! Amazing materials science in there...