Which two propellants must the Starship upper stage hold in vast amounts to facilitate travel across interplanetary distances?
Answer
Liquid methane and liquid oxygen
The Starship upper stage is specifically engineered with the capacity to hold vast quantities of cryogenic propellants required for long-duration, deep-space travel. The fuels designated for this purpose are liquid methane and liquid oxygen. This particular propellant combination is crucial because it enables the necessary mass fraction for achieving the velocities required to travel outside of Earth's gravitational influence and reach destinations such as Mars. The high volume of these propellants directly contributes to the overall size and height of the upper stage vehicle.
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