Methane
Methane is a chemical compound with the molecular formula CH4. It is the simplest alkane and the main component of natural gas. Methane is a potent greenhouse gas and its concentration in the Earth's atmosphere has been increasing rapidly due to human activities such as fossil fuel extraction, livestock farming, and waste management. In space and astronautical engineering, methane is of great interest as a potential rocket propellant due to its high specific impulse and the fact that it can be produced from in-situ resources on other planets and moons. Methane has been proposed as a fuel for future Mars missions and has been successfully tested in rocket engines. Methane can also be used as a feedstock for the production of other chemicals such as methanol and ethylene.
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