Jeff Bezos and Elon Musk face the challenge of refueling spacecraft in space

- Special precautions are required to refuel spacecraft in space

- If the facility for refueling is available in space, it will be easier to send other necessary materials to the spacecraft

New Delhi: Billionaires Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos are in a race to complete missions to the Moon and Mars from Earth, but to make their mission successful, it is necessary to create a facility to refuel spacecraft in space, and now both the billionaires are taking various risks to create such a facility.

If a facility is available in space that can replace the roar of a petrol pump, then this mission is likely to become easier. Currently, when their rockets go into space from Earth, a large part of it is fuel. Many experts believe that it seems impossible to create such a facility on time according to NASA's schedule. A NASA spokesperson said they are working with both contractors to understand the challenge.

Elon Musk's SpaceX demonstrated fuel transfer in the Starship spacecraft during a test flight in 2024. The goal was to demonstrate fuel transfer between two vehicles, but the demonstration had to be postponed after the rocket exploded in Texas in June. On the other hand, Bezos' Blue Origin is developing a transporter vehicle. Which will carry fuel to Earth orbit, where the transporter will fuel the landers on various spacecraft and send astronauts to the moon. The company's new rocket New Glenn will play a key role in this mission.

The plan to provide fuel through reusable rockets in space is likely to become cost-effective. This will allow the spacecraft to travel long distances in space and also carry other necessary materials. Without this system, humanity's achievements in space are likely to be limited. For example, when NASA's Saturn V rocket was launched to the moon, it weighed 6.5 million pounds. Of which 5.5 million tons was the weight of fuel. If such a rocket could find fuel in space, it would be possible to carry other materials in it.

But the task of filling the fuel in space remains complicated. Since it is flammable, it is also likely to heat up. It needs to be completely cooled to be filled in another vehicle. Blue Origin scientists have developed technology that prevents the fuel from heating up in space. Another big problem is how many launches are required for this mission. The days when rockets can be flown like commercial jets are still far away. Starship is still in the experimental stage, while Bezos' New Glenn is still being prepared. It is estimated that between ten and 40 flights may be needed to send astronauts to the Moon.