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Questions tagged [cryogenics]

Questions regarding use, design, storage, consumption, or other considerations of materials, propellants, systems, or biological samples stored and/or used under very low temperatures, often under larger than ambient pressure.

3 votes
0 answers
245 views

What is the record for LOX staying liquid in space?

Liquid oxygen can be used for breathing, for fuel cells, and as an oxidizer for propulsion. However, it is cryogenic, and will slowly boil off in storage, even in a spacecraft. What is the longest ...
DrSheldon's user avatar
  • 48.1k
13 votes
1 answer
1k views

Why did SpaceX swap the LOX and CH4 tanks between Mk1 and SN1?

According to most sources, the Starship Mk.1 had its LOX main tank (not talking about the header tanks here) on top and its main methane tank below. But it seems the SN1 revision, and all subsequent ...
Piotr's user avatar
  • 131
9 votes
4 answers
1k views

How difficult is it to convert a hypergolic based Moon human lander to a cryogenic one?

Recently a study performed by Aerojet Rocketdyne indicated that in order to achieve a 2024 landing using storable propellants will be required. Given that NASA is looking to reduce program risk in any ...
Barry Jenakuns's user avatar
3 votes
1 answer
223 views

In a rocket engine, do the propellants come out as liquid or gas if they’re cryogenic?

My cousin and I were talking about this and we could not come to a conclusion. Obviously it is very hard to keep cryogenic propellants at a liquid with the temperatures involved, but if they ...
MrChemistryCow's user avatar
3 votes
1 answer
166 views

Cryogenic systems in kwajalein Island- Spacex- falcon 1

Is the LOX (liquid oxygen) required for the falcon-1 launch transported or produced? If transported, how? If produced, did they set up a cryogenic oxygen plant in Kwajalein?
Vasanth C's user avatar
  • 1,161
6 votes
1 answer
698 views

How cryogenic oxygen was heated up for CM cabin repressurization?

In related question How was temperature and humidity maintained inside the Apollo mission capsules? the basic concept of conditioning Apollo mission capsules environment is described. After ...
Sergiy Lenzion's user avatar
3 votes
1 answer
899 views

How do Expander Cycle Engines Inject Liquid Fuel During Startup?

My understanding is that the H2 in an expander-cycle engine is vaporized by the heat from the combustion chamber and nozzle wall. This is used to power a turbine and then get injected, in gas phase, ...
Orion DeYoe's user avatar
1 vote
0 answers
34 views

Can anyone suggest me some resources for studying about the different types of cryogenic valves and their design aspects [closed]

Book titles, videos, articles or any other resource that I could refer
SANGEETH A K's user avatar
1 vote
1 answer
228 views

Could in situ (in-rocket) evaporative cooling/refrigeration be used for methane or hydrogen cryogenic propellants?

@Uwe's excellent answer to the question Why would sub-cooled LOX tanks need to “topped-off” until the last minute or so? explains that the LOX is sub-cooled in situ within the rocket's tank using ...
uhoh's user avatar
  • 149k
10 votes
2 answers
2k views

Why can’t cryogenic propellants be storable, at least on the ground, via refrigeration?

Cryogenic fuels (liquid hydrogen, liquid methane)1 and oxidisers (liquid oxygen)2 are the rocket propellants of choice where raw performance is the overriding concern, due to the very high performance ...
Vikki's user avatar
  • 4,157
0 votes
0 answers
205 views

How would a body be stored in a dark hole in the moon?

How well would the human body stay preserved if it was frozen while pressurized and vacuum sealed before being placed in a crater on the Moon? Would the temperature be more reliably stable on the moon ...
Muze's user avatar
  • 1
2 votes
0 answers
92 views

LOX as annular heat sink

I'm thinking of my time spent working with cryostats. Liquid helium pot on the inside, and surrounded by a liquid nitrogen jacket. And the whole thing insulated with vacuum and superinsulation. (...
Greg's user avatar
  • 4,287
5 votes
1 answer
287 views

What methods are proposed for storing cryogenic fuels (esp. hydrogen) in space for months or years?

Current Launch vehicles and upper stages must only keep their fuels for minutes or hours, so they are only insulated to keep boiloff to a few % per day - I've seen 21% per day quoted for Centaur on ...
Talisker's user avatar
  • 352
1 vote
0 answers
159 views

Cryogenic liquid pressurization resulting in overpressurized tank

I want to pressurize a cryogenic liquid (LN2 in this test. Eventually LOX). I have a setup similar to this and follow a similar procedure to what is described, but I don’t see the same tank pressure ...
Vistalop's user avatar
8 votes
1 answer
865 views

How will Robotic Refueling Mission-3's liquid methane tank remain full for six months without any boil off?

Space.com's Lasers, Crystals and 36,000 Worms Will Ride a SpaceX Dragon to Space Station says: To fly on those journeys, astronauts might have to someday harvest fuel from the surface of the moon ...
uhoh's user avatar
  • 149k

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