However, the boiling point of methane is very close to its oxidizer. The boiling points of hydrogen and Rocket Propellant-1 (RP-1) kerosene are very different from that of liquid oxygen (LOX). But as new designs prioritize reusability as well as in-site resource utilization (ISRU) for missions to Mars, the combination of methane and oxygen has become the standard for next-generation launch vehicles.Ĭombustion stability is especially problematic in comparison to the two most common liquid propellant combinations: kerolox (kerosene and oxygen) and hydrolox (hydrogen and oxygen). The answer to why methane-fueled rockets have not flown before is a matter of chemistry and engineering complexity. Upcoming launchers such as New Glenn from Blue Origin and the Terran family from Relativity Space are also on the way toward flight, while the Chinese ZhuQue-2 rocket from Landspace may even be a favorite to fly before any of the American vehicles. With Starship from SpaceX, Vulcan from United Launch Alliance (ULA), and Neutron from Rocket Lab, all of the most active US launch providers are committed to using methalox-methane and oxygen. Right now, several methane-fueled rockets are in a race to orbit.
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