This space company is betting its future on a propellant found everywhere

This space company is betting its future on a propellant found everywhere

This space company is betting its future on a propellant found everywhere

Argo Space, founded in late 2022 by three former SpaceX engineers, is building spacecraft that run on water, a propellant found across the solar system and possibly harvestable from the Moon. Its spacecraft launch carrying liquid water, then use solar power to split it into hydrogen and oxygen for thrust, while the water also cools the craft and shields it from radiation. Its first demonstration mission, Navigator, flew in July but a solar array failure stopped it testing the propulsion system, so two follow-up Chiron missions are planned for 2027 to prove the technology.

Argo Space, founded in late 2022 by three former SpaceX engineers, is building spacecraft that run on water, a propellant found across the solar system and possibly harvestable from the Moon. Its spacecraft launch carrying liquid water, then use solar power to split it into hydrogen and oxygen for thrust, while the water also cools the craft and shields it from radiation. Its first demonstration mission, Navigator, flew in July but a solar array failure stopped it testing the propulsion system, so two follow-up Chiron missions are planned for 2027 to prove the technology.

Argo Space, founded in late 2022 by three former SpaceX engineers, is building spacecraft that run on water, a propellant found across the solar system and possibly harvestable from the Moon. Its spacecraft launch carrying liquid water, then use solar power to split it into hydrogen and oxygen for thrust, while the water also cools the craft and shields it from radiation. Its first demonstration mission, Navigator, flew in July but a solar array failure stopped it testing the propulsion system, so two follow-up Chiron missions are planned for 2027 to prove the technology.