Space travel: NASA ropes in Elon Musk's SpaceX to develop tech to refuel ships in space

In a bid to end ir refueling woes, NASA has roped in many international ncies including Elon Musk's X to create solutions around refueling ships in , according to international news reports.

Reports furr state that X will be working with Glenn Research Center and Marshall Flight Center to help develop new techlogy which will enable to get propellent depot into orbit, thus solving issue of in- refueling. 

NASA predicts that this refueling techlogy could potentially assist crewed missions to Mars and beyond.

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What is a propellent depot?

According to National Society(NSS),  Cryogenic propellant depots can rightly be called “a gas station in .” Just like gas stations extend range of one's cars, orbital propellant depots would extend range of one's rockets.

NSS states that currently, propellants usually take up 2/3 or more of ir total mass. Hence for a paylo to go furr than Earth's orbit, that paylo has to contain ar smaller rocket and a final paylo. "Once in orbit, first rocket’s upper st is usually “out of gas” and since re are gas stations in orbit right w," states NSS.

All se problems can be solved if one st of rocket could be refueled in orbit, thus enabling its reuse.

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Nuclear rmal rocket?

Previously on July 25, X CEO Elon Musk h suggested that 'Nuclear rmal rockets would be a great area of research for NASA', after successful test of his Starhopper rocket. He h highlighted that this alternative to rocket fuel could unlock faster travel times as he wishes to embark on his dream to colonize Mars.   

NASA teams with 12 US companies for manned Moon mission

Meanwhile, ahe of NASA's Artemis mission that is supposed land to human astronauts on moon, NASA has anunced its partnership with several U.S based companies including X and Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin to take exploration techlogy to a whole new level. NASA is alrey working on its plans to establish a permanent human presence in .