Air Force & NASA Fire Off Green Rocket

coondoggie writes "NASA and the Air Force said today they had successfully launched a 9-ft. rocket 1,300 feet into the sky, powered by aluminum powder and water ice. This combination of fuel elements, referred to as ALICE, has the potential to replace some liquid or solid propellants. The technology is being developed at Purdue University and Pennsylvania State University. Aside from its environmental benefiits, ALICE has the advantage that it could be manufactured in far-away places, such as the moon or Mars, instead of being transported to distant horizons at great cost, researchers said."

Comments

No Rocket is Green - Building It Is What Pollutes

[Ron Bennett]

All this talk about this and that going "green" is just puff; no real meaning beyond getting PR and more funding.

I don't see how any rocket can be considered "green" considering most all of the environmental impact is not from firing the rocket, but is from building it.

Ending all wars and stabilizing human population would go far further towards safeguarding the environment than all these feel-good "green" initiatives.

Ron

Re:Ethical question

[qmaqdk]

Ok, then let's be consistent:

Helum, Lithum, Beryllum, Sodum, Magnesum, Aluminum, Potassum, Calcum, Scandum, Titanum, Vanadum, Chromum, Gallum, Germanum, Selenum, Rubidum, Strontum, Yttrum, Zirconum, ah, who needs more than 40 protons.