Speakers
Description
The production of propellant is a major contributor to the carbon footprint of a space launch, while recent research indicates the environmental impact of fuel combustion during launches could be more significant than previously thought. Fossil-fuel-free propellants are emerging as promising alternatives with potentially lower environmental impact and cost, including green-hydrogen, which might be among the least environmentally impactful propellants along the fuel life cycle (production and launch event).
This presentation investigates the potential advantages of a heavy space launcher powered entirely by green-hydrogen, comparing it to a generic fossil-fuelled launcher with equivalent performance. The study provides a high-level assessment of the carbon footprint and cost implications throughout the manufacturing, assembly, and launch steps. The analysis also estimates the cost performance of green-hydrogen against other possible fossil-fuel-free launch vehicle propellants.
