Penjelajah luar angkasa yang perlu mengisi ulang tangki bahan bakarnya saat dalam perjalanan ke Bulan atau ke Mars dalam waktu dekat akan dapat mampir ke stasiun pengisian bahan bakar di orbit. Dikabarkan, NASA menyediakan tender senilai US$200 juta atau sekitar Rp1,7 triliun bagi yang mampu menunjukkan bagaimana menyimpan dan mentransfer bahan-bakar roket di luar angkasa.
Ide untuk membuka pom bensin di luar angkasa sendiri telah lama berkembang. Sebagai contoh, sebuah perusahaan asal Kanada tengah bersiap untuk meluncurkan stasiun pengisian bahan bakar di tahun 2015 mendatang. Namun pada proposalnya, NASA menginginkan sesuatu yang lebih dari sekadar mengisi ulang pesawat ruang angkasa di orbit Bumi.
Dikutip dari Innovation News Daily, 23 Mei 2011, NASA ingin secara khusus memanfaatkan oksigen dan hidrogen cair yang biasa digunakan untuk memasok daya bagi mesin pesawat ruang angkasa dan beberapa roket komersial. Proposal yang ditawarkan mencari perusahaan yang mampu menyediakan penyimpanan ‘zero-boil off’ oksigen cair dan setidaknya penyimpanan ‘minimal boil-off’ hidrogen cair.
Sebagai gambaran, hidrogen cair membutuhkan penyimpanan dengan suhu minus 218 derajat Celcius. Zat itu perlu dilindungi dari sumber panas eksternal seperti Matahari atau panas buangan mesin roket untuk mencegah terjadi pemuaian atau menyebabkan ledakan tangki penyimpanan.
Perusahaan yang berminat untuk menyambut tantangan NASA juga harus mampu menunjukkan bagaimana zat cair ini ditransfer dalam lingkungan dengan gravitasi minimal di orbit Bumi.
Meski proposal yang diajukan mencapai nilai sebesar USD 200 juta, badan antariksa Amerika Serikat itu akan mempertimbangkan misi yang nilainya mencapai USD 300 juta. Syaratnya, biaya tambahan itu menawarkan berbagai kelebihan penting. Sebaliknya, NASA juga mempertimbangkan proposal senilai di bawah USD 200 juta asalkan mampu memenuhi kebutuhan.
Partner NASA yang berhasil menyediakan teknologi untuk menghadirkan pom bensin di luar angkasa sendiri akan mendapatkan keuntungan dari digelarnya stasiun pengisian bahan bakar tersebut.
Sebagai informasi, saat ini, NASA juga bekerjasama dengan sebuah perusahaan roket swasta asal Amerika Serikat, Space Exploration Technologies Corp (SpaceX). Mereka dikontrak untuk mengantarkan astronot dan kargo ke International Space Station. Namun tidak untuk mengantarkan manusia ke Bulan dan Mars.
Space explorers who need to recharge the fuel tank while in transit to the Moon or Mars in the near future will be able to come to fueling stations in orbit.
Reportedly, NASA provided a U.S. $ 200 million or approximately Rp1, 7 trillion for those who were able to show how to store and transfer fuel rocket in space.
The idea to open a petrol station in outer space itself has long been developing. For example, a Canadian company preparing to launch a refueling station in the year 2015.But the proposal, NASA wants something more than just recharge the spacecraft in Earth orbit.
Excerpted from the Innovation News Daily, May 23, 2011, NASA wants to specifically utilize oxygen and liquid hydrogen which is used to supply power for spacecraft engines and some commercial rockets. The proposal offered by looking for companies that can provide storage 'zero-boil off' liquid oxygen storage and at least 'minimum boil-off' of liquid hydrogen.
As an illustration, the liquid hydrogen storage requires a temperature of minus 218 degrees Celsius. Substances that need to be protected from external heat sources such as solar or waste heat rocket engine to prevent it from occurring expansion or storage tank caused the explosion.
Interested companies to welcome the challenges NASA must also be able to show how the liquid is transferred in a minimal-gravity environment of Earth orbit.
Although the proposals reached a value of USD 200 million, the United States space agency would consider the mission whose value reached USD 300 million. Condition, the additional cost it offers important advantages. Instead, NASA is also considering a proposal valued at under $ 200 million provided that fully meet the requirements.
NASA partners who managed to provide the technology to bring the gas station in outer space itself will benefit from a main refueling stations are.
For information, at this time, NASA is also working with a private rocket company from the United States, Space Exploration Technologies Corp. (SpaceX). They are contracted to deliver astronauts and cargo to the International Space Station. But not to deliver humans to the Moon and Mars.
Reportedly, NASA provided a U.S. $ 200 million or approximately Rp1, 7 trillion for those who were able to show how to store and transfer fuel rocket in space.
The idea to open a petrol station in outer space itself has long been developing. For example, a Canadian company preparing to launch a refueling station in the year 2015.But the proposal, NASA wants something more than just recharge the spacecraft in Earth orbit.
Excerpted from the Innovation News Daily, May 23, 2011, NASA wants to specifically utilize oxygen and liquid hydrogen which is used to supply power for spacecraft engines and some commercial rockets. The proposal offered by looking for companies that can provide storage 'zero-boil off' liquid oxygen storage and at least 'minimum boil-off' of liquid hydrogen.
As an illustration, the liquid hydrogen storage requires a temperature of minus 218 degrees Celsius. Substances that need to be protected from external heat sources such as solar or waste heat rocket engine to prevent it from occurring expansion or storage tank caused the explosion.
Interested companies to welcome the challenges NASA must also be able to show how the liquid is transferred in a minimal-gravity environment of Earth orbit.
Although the proposals reached a value of USD 200 million, the United States space agency would consider the mission whose value reached USD 300 million. Condition, the additional cost it offers important advantages. Instead, NASA is also considering a proposal valued at under $ 200 million provided that fully meet the requirements.
NASA partners who managed to provide the technology to bring the gas station in outer space itself will benefit from a main refueling stations are.
For information, at this time, NASA is also working with a private rocket company from the United States, Space Exploration Technologies Corp. (SpaceX). They are contracted to deliver astronauts and cargo to the International Space Station. But not to deliver humans to the Moon and Mars.
Tidak ada komentar:
Posting Komentar