Startup Plans Water Powered Rocket Test That Could Transform Space Travel

Revolutionary Test Mission Prepares for Launch

In a bold experiment that could rewrite the rules of space propulsion, General Galactic, founded by former SpaceX engineer Halen Mattison and former Varda Space engineer Luke Naise, is preparing a demonstration mission called Trinity. The company plans to launch a satellite weighing approximately 500 kg (~1,100 pounds) on a joint Falcon 9 launch in October 2026 to prove something that sounds almost impossible: using water as the only fuel for spacecraft maneuvering.

The 1,100-pound satellite could validate two separate methods for water propulsion when it flies to space later this year. The mission, called Trinity, could validate water propulsion as a low-cost method for rapidly maneuvering satellites in space. What makes this particularly compelling is that water is made up of hydrogen and oxygen, the two driving forces behind rocket engines since the 1960s. Hydrogen produces the highest exhaust velocity of any type of fuel, while oxygen helps it burn.

During its upcoming test, General Galactic aims to evaluate both electrical and chemical propulsion systems. The dual approach represents a comprehensive attempt to harness water's potential across different mission requirements, from precise orbital adjustments to rapid emergency maneuvers.

How Water Becomes Rocket Fuel

The technology centers on a surprisingly straightforward concept that has proven devilishly difficult to execute. The electrical propulsion system is designed to split water molecules into hydrogen and oxygen using a process called electrolysis, then apply enough electrical energy to convert the oxygen into plasma. It will then use a magnetic field to guide the plasma out of the thruster.

For the chemical scheme, water is broken down into hydrogen and oxygen through electrolysis, and then the hydrogen is burned using oxygen as an oxidizer. This creates two distinct propulsion modes: The electrical propulsion system is meant to provide a steady stream of thrust, which could prove to be an efficient way to travel to deep-space destinations. Chemical propulsion, on the other hand, can provide much more powerful but short-lived bursts of thrust, giving satellites a boost in space.

"We can provide both the long-efficiency maneuver, but also sometimes folks need to get somewhere fast or respond really quickly to a dramatic event in the orbital environment," Luke Neise, co-founder of General Galactic and former engineer at Varda Space Industries, told Wired. This versatility addresses a critical gap in current propulsion systems, which typically excel in one area but struggle in others.

Practical Advantages and Real Challenges

In theory, water-based propulsion systems are a low-cost, safer alternative to conventional engines. Water is easier to handle and transport and doesn't carry the same risks as toxic propellants. Perhaps most , water can potentially be harvested in space, whether on the Moon or Mars, and converted to fuel. The company also claims a potential Δv reserve 5–10 times greater than traditional systems, which is important for rapid evasions and active maneuvers in crowded orbital zones.

However, significant technical hurdles remain. Using high-temperature steam to power engines runs the risk of corroding a spacecraft's electronics. Water propulsion also has a lower ability to generate high-exhaust speeds, and the water electrolysis system would also add more weight to the spacecraft. As General Galactic consultant and former NASA technologist Ryan Conversano told Wired, ionized oxygen could wreak havoc on the satellite's electronics by corroding them. "It makes material selection and design of the device or devices very, very challenging," he said.

Building the Infrastructure for Deep Space

The Trinity mission represents just the first step in an ambitious vision. The company is aiming to eventually design a refueling station for rockets to reach Mars and build a propellant station on the Red Planet itself. "Everybody wants to go build a moon base or a Mars base or whatever. Who's going to pay for it? How does it actually work?" asks Halen Mattison, CEO of General Galactic. "Our vision is to go build a gas station on Mars," he adds, "but also eventually build out the refueling network" in between.

This concept aligns with broader space exploration goals. The concept also dovetails with NASA's Artemis program and its plans for a sustained human presence on the Moon. Lunar water ice, if it can be extracted and processed efficiently, could serve as both drinking water and rocket fuel for missions departing from lunar orbit. Success could fundamentally change how we approach long-duration space missions, transforming them from one-way supply runs to sustainable operations with local resource utilization.

If General Galactic's water propulsion system proves viable, it could solve one of space exploration's most persistent challenges: the tyranny of carrying all your fuel from Earth. The October test will determine whether this audacious bet on the universe's most common molecule can actually deliver on its transformative promise.