/sci/ - Science & Math

>>10732471
>why is being green so important to something thats only going to be used in space?
1. First and foremost, it's a more effective storable propellant, it's not just "green". It will allow for 1.5 times better Isp compared to MMH, which is a whole fucking lot.
2. Handling the hydrazine on the ground isn't cheap. It requires a special safety equipment, compartmentalization, lots of testing etc. It severely limits many applications, it was one of many reasons why the Shuttle was unable to land in an arbitrary airport.
3. It can contaminate a large area in case of a launch failure.
4. It's dangerous to use hydrazine in manned missions. A leaking pipeline can poison the crew. Russians went to great lengths just to avoid using it as much as possible in their manned flights. The unburned propellant particles or its products can contaminate the outer surface of the spacecraft and come into contact with the crew after an EVA or landing. Unmanned spacecraft are usually programmed not to use station-facing thrusters while docking because of this. The Shuttle had a similar mode when docking to Mir and ISS.