“绿色”替代燃料装置首次进入太空测试

卫星喜欢肼——一种太空推进剂——但它对人有毒，而且极其难以处理。一种无毒的替代品将与美国宇航局的绿色推进剂注入任务(GPIM)一起进行测试。GPIM利用一个球形航天小卫星和航空喷气火箭推进系统，展示了一种毒性较小的肼替代品。“绿色”航天器燃料是由美国空军研究实验室开发的。

GPIM将由SpaceX的猎鹰重型火箭搭载美国国防部太空测试项目2号(STP-2)，从佛罗里达州NASA肯尼迪航天中心的39A发射场发射。图像显示的是卫星附在火箭内部。GPIM是搭载在STP-2发射上的24颗卫星之一，该发射由美国空军空间和导弹系统中心管理。发射窗口在美国东部时间6月24日星期一晚上11:30开放。

了解更多关于这次发射的其它NASA卫星:https://www.nasa.gov/spacex

Satellites love hydrazine – a type of space propellant – but it’s toxic to people and extremely difficult to handle. A non-toxic alternative will be put to the test with NASA’s Green Propellant Infusion Mission (GPIM). GPIM takes advantage of a Ball Aerospace small satellite and Aerojet Rocketdyne propulsion system to demonstrate a less toxic alternative to hydrazine. The “green” spacecraft fuel was developed by the Air Force Research Laboratory.

GPIM is set to launch on a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket from Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida aboard the U.S. Department of Defense Space Test Program-2 (STP-2) mission. The satellite is shown here attached to the inside of the rocket. GPIM is one of two dozen satellites aboard the STP-2 launch, which is managed by the U.S. Air Force Space and Missile Systems Center. The launch window opens at 11:30 p.m. EDT Monday, June 24.

Learn more about the other NASA payloads aboard this launch: https://www.nasa.gov/spacex

Image Credit: SpaceX