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This 'Self-Eating' rocket consumes its own body for fuel

Gizmodo · 1y ago

Medial

The University of Glasgow has developed the world's first autophage rocket engine that uses its own fuselage as fuel. The design burns high-density plastic tubes as fuel, allowing the rocket to have more space for payloads compared to other vehicles of similar mass. The engine, named Ouroborous-3, successfully underwent initial test firings and demonstrated the ability to control its burn. The researchers plan to develop a flight-weight engine prototype and use liquid oxidizers. The autophage rocket offers a solution to the growing problem of space debris as it consumes itself during the journey.