Internal combustion practical for planetary exploration?

Acclamator · Post by **Acclamator** » 2002-10-19 12:37pm

This thread on SB got me thinking:

http://kier.3dfrontier.com/forums/showt ... adid=37801

*Imagines some of the astronauts exploring the red planet hurtling across its surface on quads*

TrailerParkJawa · Post by **TrailerParkJawa** » 2002-10-19 02:02pm

The environmentalists would protest.

If for some reason we could reach another world like Earth, then IC engines would be realistic choice.

But since we probably only will go to Mars, I bet an electric vehicle is more reasonable.

I can see it now, monster truck shows on Mars. BE THERE BE THERE !!!

RayCav of ASVS · Post by **RayCav of ASVS** » 2002-10-19 02:11pm

I don't think ICE's would be too practical on Mars unless fuel and engine components can be locally produced. ICE engines are heavy (coming from a guy who works on them on a weekly basis), and you have to bring up the fuel too. Solar powered engines seem to be preferred by NASA because they're far lighter and they have a greater fuel source than just reliance of electric batteries alone. And since this is just exploration speed and payload aren't really considerations.

Enlightenment · Post by **Enlightenment** » 2002-10-19 05:46pm

Forget fuel; think about oxygen. Off-the-shelf ICEs won't work on Mars because there's nowhere near enough oxygen in the Martian atmosphere to support combustion. An ICE vehicle would need to carry around a supply of oxygen in addition to fuel, or use a hypergolic fuel such as hydrazine.

Manji · Post by **Manji** » 2002-10-19 06:19pm

Enlightenment wrote:Forget fuel; think about oxygen. Off-the-shelf ICEs won't work on Mars because there's nowhere near enough oxygen in the Martian atmosphere to support combustion. An ICE vehicle would need to carry around a supply of oxygen in addition to fuel, or use a hypergolic fuel such as hydrazine.

I don't think oxygen would be a problem. The space shuttle carries its own oxygen tanks to provide for combustion of propellant, as does every other rocket and spacecraft used in the space programs of the various nations which have them. If they were designing a vehicle to be used on Mars, they'd factor in the need for 02 tanks when they were designing it. So they wouldn't be an "extra" or an "add-on".