The holy grail of metal thruster propellants is bismuth, with its high atomic mass and very weak radioactivity.
Credit: Starlight Engines
Move aside, xenon, krypton and argon. There is a new, heavier-weight class of spacecraft propellant: metals. This year, several startups are testing electric thrusters that run on metal propellants. The companies say the hard stuff packs a greater punch for its volume and is cheaper and easier to...
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