What is the crucial long-term goal served by choosing methane propellant?
Answer
It enables refueling on Mars through In-Situ Resource Utilization (ISRU).
The strategic decision for methane is tied directly to the ambition for interplanetary travel, as Martian resources (CO2 and water ice) can be used via the Sabatier process to synthesize the required CH4/LOX propellant.
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