Space will soon have 'Gas stations'

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Some researchers of the MIT have proposed ideas of placing fuel depots on space. They are to be stationed at 'Lagrange', regions in space between moon, sun and the Earth. Any object at this point remains stable in the place as it maintains a gravitational equilibrium.

So if this happens, then the future space missions will have benefits on their sides. Like they could carry less fuel from Earth and get to space, dock at the depot and after picking up extra fuel, reach the destination say, the moon. The MIT engineers say that this kind of orbiting way stations could reduce fuel amount that a spacecraft carries from Earth, enabling it to carry heavier payloads and all.

In last few decades, scientists have proposed many designs like building fuel stations on the moon and sending tankers to refill depots. But those ideas needed tons of dollars to be spent with long-term commitment. This idea by the MIT team  does not require such commitments. They have two designs with them.

"Whatever rockets you use, you'd like to take full advantage of your lifting capacity," says Jeffrey Hoffman, a professor of the practice in MIT's department of aeronautics and astronautics.