[Moonman62]

I’m surprised NASA uses that much. Even rockets sometimes use highly refined kerosene rather than hydrogen.

[from occupied ga]

Even rockets sometimes use highly refined kerosene rather than hydrogen.

It has to do with how much energy you get back from a unit mass of fuel. Because you have to lift the fuel, it frequently makes sense to use the most energetic fuel you can.

[thackney]

That info as NASA being the biggest user could be out of date without our shuttle programs. Just something I remember from years ago. Also, hydrogen in refining has grown in the past decades as well.

[thackney]

http://www.nasa.gov/topics/technology/hydrogen/

NASA is the largest consumer of liquid hydrogen in the United States.

NASA uses approximately 10 million pounds of liquid hydrogen per year at six locations in five states.

In the past 45 years, NASA has purchased more than 350 million pounds of hydrogen and transported it safely across millions of miles by truck, rail and barge.