Controversial opinion on hypergolics

OnetimeYapper57

New Member
Apr 25, 2026
12
10
Hypergolic fuels are important in the history of spaceflight. Many early rockets were adapted from ICBMs which had to be ready to fire at a moment's notice. Naturally, using a fuel and oxidiser that was stable at human-tolerable temperatures was a logical choice. Hypergolics have been largely superseded by cryogenics but are still used today.

However.
I don't think they have enough modern significance and unique gameplay effects to justify their inclusion in KSA. Their unique advantages such as lack of boil-off and reliable ignitions are not enough to make up for their pitiful specific impulse, and it's almost always preferable to use cryogenic fuels with a cryocooler or kerosene for high density storable fuel. Everything hypergolics can do, monopropellant can do simpler and kerolox can do better.
Also, they're harder to produce in ISRU, as opposed to the dead simple electrolysis and Sabatier reaction.
I know rocketry history fans (such as many KSP/KSA fans) are fond of them, so if you disagree, I absolutely want to hear.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Maxi
Upvote 0
hypergolics are used frequently today still for reaction control. SpaceX's Dragon uses MMH/NTO for reaction control, which is the hypergolic propellant currently in the game. In reality, "monopropellants" in KSP are actually hypergols in everything but name
 
  • Like
Reactions: BlackKyiv
Well, technically you could make hypergolic engines/fuels as an early game tech and cryogenic as a next step.

Not having to worry about boil off is good for players who are still learning how to get to the orbit (even it costs performance). After they progress in the game and get acquainted, they can start trying to use cryogenics for deep space missions or high mass payloads.