How expensive are satellite fuels?

[joshmccraney]

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!

 

[Nidum]

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 .

 

[Vanadium 50]

The cost is dominated by the lift cost of $5-10,000 per kilogram.

 

[Student100]

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!

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.

 

[berkeman]

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).

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?

 

[joshmccraney]

Thanks for the responses!

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

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]

The cost is dominated by the lift cost of $5-10,000 per kilogram.

Can you provide a citation for this info?

 

[Vanadium 50]

Can you provide a citation for this info?

Google cost per kilogram to LEO. 325,000 results.

 

[rootone]

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.