The simple steam thruster only has specific impulse of 70ms (for the layman trust me when I say this is low, most propellants measure in the triple digits or more). The reason they are doing this isn't for demonstrating ISRU or colonization technologies, its to demonstrate non-volatile low pressure propulsion and attitude control for rideshares cause primary customers already forking millions for a sat and its ride get nervous about the build quaility of bargain seeking hitchhikers laden with hydrazine.
passinglurker t1_iybso4s wrote
Reply to comment by cannabisized in Japan successfully uses steam to propel Moon spacecraft by yourSAS
The simple steam thruster only has specific impulse of 70ms (for the layman trust me when I say this is low, most propellants measure in the triple digits or more). The reason they are doing this isn't for demonstrating ISRU or colonization technologies, its to demonstrate non-volatile low pressure propulsion and attitude control for rideshares cause primary customers already forking millions for a sat and its ride get nervous about the build quaility of bargain seeking hitchhikers laden with hydrazine.