PROPULSION ENGINE TYPES Many different designs of rocket engines have been suggested for space travel. Some designs are brand new and strictly theoretical (such as anti-matter engines). Other designs (fireworks, primitive steam engines) have been well known and used for thousands of years. Currently, the most powerful (and the type examined in this module), is the chemical propellant rocket engine. Other more exotic engine types that have been designed or proposed are ion rockets, photon rockets, magneto-hydrodynamic drives and nuclear fission rockets. 17 of 39
Florida Space Research Institute ©2002