Space brothers bet on water fuel

Three former SpaceX engineers founded Argo Space to build spacecraft powered by water rather than traditional rocket fuel. The company relies on a propellant that exists throughout the solar system and can potentially be harvested on the moon.

Robert, Ryan, and Kirby Carlisle worked at SpaceX during the Falcon 9 era. They launched, refurbished, and sold rockets before deciding to start their own venture. Instead of building new rockets, they focused on designing the vehicles that fly on them.

The brothers established the company in late 2022. Their goal was to create in-space infrastructure that reduces dependence on Earth-sourced chemicals. Robert Carlisle stated that the company is based on water. This choice allows for a transportation network linking low-Earth orbit, geostationary orbit, and the moon.

Water serves multiple functions in their design. It acts as a coolant and radiation shield for the spacecraft. The fluid cools components from thrusters to avionics. This system increases the propellant mass fraction, allowing the vehicle to carry more fuel and perform more maneuvers.

The team launched its first demonstration mission in July. The spacecraft, named Navigator, flew on a Falcon 9 rideshare. Controllers successfully made contact with the vehicle after launch. However, one of two solar arrays failed to deploy.

Engineers spent roughly twelve hours troubleshooting the issue and gathering data. The spacecraft remained power-negative, draining its battery. The low energy levels prevented the team from testing the propulsion system during that initial window.

Robert Carlisle noted that this approach creates a profit motive to harvest water from the moon. The lower gravity well makes collection easier than on Earth. Argo Space plans to use this method for satellite resupply, refueling, repair, and redeployment tasks.