General Galactic to test satellite powered only by water in space

General Galactic, a space startup led by former SpaceX and Varda Space engineers Halen Mattison and Luke Neise, plans to launch a 1,100-pound satellite later this year to demonstrate propulsion powered solely by water. The mission, named Trinity, will test two water-based propulsion methods: chemical propulsion by electrolysis splitting water into hydrogen and oxygen for combustion, and electrical propulsion by converting oxygen into plasma guided magnetically out of a thruster. This approach offers advantages over traditional fuels like liquid methane, including easier storage without extreme cooling, reduced risk of explosions, and potential cost savings. The company aims to validate water propulsion as a versatile and efficient technology for rapid satellite maneuvering and deep space travel, potentially delivering 5-10 times the Delta-V (velocity change) of conventional systems. General Galactic envisions this technology enabling future infrastructure such as propellant stations on Mars to support interplanetary missions. While other organizations, including NASA and Japanese firm Pale Blue, have explored water-based propulsion