Industrial gas innovations help fuel the new space economy


As the commercial space sector continues its rapid ascent, the industrial gases industry is playing an essential role in powering launches, enabling onboard life support and ensuring system safety.

Speaking during gasworld’s recent space webinar, Jason Wilkins, Sales Engineer at ACME Cryogenics – part of OPW Clean Energy Solutions – said the growing demands of space exploration were changing the size and scale of cryogenic gas systems. 

“You’re paying per kilogramme for space exploration, so the energy density of your fuel is imperative to that,” he explained. “Before, we would get up into eight-inch interprocess piping. Now we’re getting up into 20- and 24-inch interprocess piping to fuel these rockets and transport these molecules from storage to end use.”

The unique challenges of handling cryogenic gases at extremely low temperatures require specialist infrastructure, particularly in harsh launchpad environments. 

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