• More Blogs
• Observations »
• Bering in Mind »
• Cross-check »
• Extinction Countdown »
• Solar at Home »
• Expeditions »
• Guest Blog »
• Anecdotes from the Archive »

The fields of space and climate science are growing ever more closely entwined: Japan launched a new satellite to monitor greenhouse gases late last week, and NASA is set to launch its own Orbiting Carbon Observatory next month. But what about all the nasty fumes and gases spewed by the boosters needed to shoot those climate watchdogs into orbit?

A California company has a solution to shrink the ecological footprint of space exploration, but it remains to be seen whether it can or will be applied to real spaceflight: biodiesel-powered rockets. Flometrics, based in Carlsbad, Calif., earlier this month conducted a ground rocket-engine test of biodiesel (the "same stuff people put in their cars," according to company founder Steve Harrington) alongside RP-1, a standard rocket-grade kerosene fuel, and found them of almost equal fortitude. (The biodiesel delivered about 3 percent less thrust than the RP-1, according to Flometrics.) Biodiesel, a liquid fuel derived from vegetable oil or animal fat, has already been used to power a cross-country jet flight.

The Flometrics test had a few limitations that make large-scale adoption of biodiesel by space agencies appear somewhat remote—the fuel tank for the test rocket was fashioned from a fire extinguisher, limiting the amount of initial fuel pressure, and the test ran for only a few seconds. In addition, Flometrics tested the biofuel in a Rocketdyne LR-101, a relatively small engine often employed for steering.

Nevertheless, Harrington says the company is preparing to fit a rocket with parachutes and other systems that will allow for an actual test launch in the coming weeks.

Photo of biodiesel static test courtesy of Flometrics

6 Comments

1. 1. InquiringConstructivist 01:10 PM 1/27/09

   Why not use efficient biodiesel turbines to produce the liquid oxygen hydrogen for a proper rocket, the kind of propellant the Space Shuttle uses?

   Reply | Report Abuse | Link to this

2. 2. agenthucky 01:37 PM 1/27/09

   great, now NASA is at the mercy of every McDonalds in the country...where are we getting all this biofuel from?!?

   Reply | Report Abuse | Link to this

3. 3. Voice of Raisin 02:24 PM 1/27/09

   This just in: McDonald's provides fuel for next moon mission in exchange for cheese.

   Reply | Report Abuse | Link to this

4. 4. robh 03:47 PM 1/27/09

   It is certainly important that something should be done about all those gases from rocket launches and maneuvers.
   
   Such pollution is obvious at launch time but what is often (conveniently?) overlooked is that there are often one of more additional burns after launch which are not as noticeable to us on earth but must spew quite a lot of pollutants into the near earth environment. (I have seen one burn occur in our skies and it wasn't very noticeable from earth but probably was spewing out as many fumes as one on earth would.)
   
   Not to mention firings to maintain a desired orbit, ranging from controlling those in low earth orbit to those controlling geosynchronous satellites so at quite a range of different heights.
   
   One has to wonder just how much these events have on global warning, the ozone layer etc and it is doubtful adequate research has been done on this topic. The relatively low number of launches cannot be regarded as insignificant, especially when the other sources of pollution from man made space objects is taken into account as described above, and in any event there is every possibility of an increased number of launches.
   

   Reply | Report Abuse | Link to this

5. 5. hotblack 04:25 PM 1/27/09

   We're getting closer to actually being able to fabricate a suitable carbon nanotube ribbon for the space elevator concept.
   
   Cheapest, cleanest way up there. Just not quite there yet...

   Reply | Report Abuse | Link to this

6. 6. theophys 09:25 PM 1/28/09

   What if we made really, really wicked awesome space helicopters? Eliminate the need for large explosions and increase the number of clean energy sources available for use.

   Reply | Report Abuse | Link to this