✓ NASAScience & Systems
NASA tests a coupling device for refueling spacecraft in Earth orbit
NASA has tested a special nozzle-like coupling designed to transfer propellant to spacecraft in Earth orbit before deep-space missions depart.
Deep-space missions may soon require an orbital pit stop before leaving Earth behind. NASA has tested a new refueling coupling designed to transfer propellant to spacecraft in Earth orbit, working like a nozzle fitting a fuel tank.
The technology targets future missions that need more propellant than they can carry at launch, extending their reach into the outer solar system.
Why it mattersIn-orbit refueling could transform deep-space mission economics by removing the weight limits that currently cap how far spacecraft can travel.
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