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How expensive are satellite fuels?

  1. Dec 2, 2016 #1

    joshmccraney

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    Does anyone know how expensive satellite fuels and or cryogens are? If so, could you supply the source? If not, do you have any recommendations where I could look (I've googled and google-scholared things like "satellite fuel cost" but to no avail).

    Thanks!
     
    joshmccraney, Dec 2, 2016
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  3. Dec 2, 2016 #2

    Nidum

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    Search on the actual substance names . Hydrazine , liquid oxygen , helium etc .

    Generally though the actual cost of chemical fuels , coolants and pressurising agents is trivial compared to the other costs involved in any space mission .
     
    Last edited: Dec 2, 2016
    Nidum, Dec 2, 2016
  4. Dec 2, 2016 #3

    Vanadium 50

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    The cost is dominated by the lift cost of $5-10,000 per kilogram.
     
    Vanadium 50, Dec 2, 2016
  5. Dec 2, 2016 #4

    Student100

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    Not going to be a lot of information out there, especially for some fuels. Why not email the public relations division of a commercial satellite manufacturer like Space Systems/Loral. They might be able to share a ball park figure with you.
     
    Student100, Dec 2, 2016
  6. Dec 2, 2016 #5

    berkeman

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    Can you say why you are asking? Are you looking at making your own small-scale liquid-fueled rocket? Have you experimented with solid fuel hobby rocketry in the past? :smile:
     
    berkeman, Dec 2, 2016
  7. Dec 3, 2016 #6

    joshmccraney

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    Thanks for the responses!

    hahaha Berkeman, I'm afraid I'm not nearly that cool:frown:

    I'm writing a grant proposal and this would be helpful information. It's not necessary, but it would be nice to know. The proposal relates to capillary fluids in low-g environments, so not rocketry. Thanks for the response though!
     
    joshmccraney, Dec 3, 2016
  8. Dec 4, 2016 #7

    joshmccraney

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    Can you provide a citation for this info?
     
    joshmccraney, Dec 4, 2016
  9. Dec 4, 2016 #8

    Vanadium 50

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    Google cost per kilogram to LEO. 325,000 results.
     
    Vanadium 50, Dec 4, 2016
  10. Dec 4, 2016 #9

    rootone

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    Once a satellite is in orbit, it can in some cases be reconfigured when needed by short burns of micro thrusters.
    Typically these use Hydrazine, which gives a lot of bang for the buck and is fairly light weight.
    Hydrazine of itself-is not really expensive, a quick googled revealed industrial suppliers at around $2000 for a metric tonne.
    Liquid hydrogen could be used, but that has problems with containment.
     
    rootone, Dec 4, 2016
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