science

Vigoride

Vigoride is a science topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand Vigoride rather than just read about it. In short: Vigoride is a space tug developed and operated by Momentus Space. The total payload capacity that it can support to LEO is 750 kg.

Key takeaways

Vigoride belongs to science; place it in that map before memorising details.
Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
Connect Vigoride to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
Reproduce the core statement of Vigoride from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

Vigoride is a space tug developed and operated by Momentus Space. The total payload capacity that it can support to LEO is 750 kg. Vigoride is capable of changing orbital planes, inclination, and propelling spacecraft to up to 2 km/s. It also provides small satellite operators access to power, communications, and station keeping while with the tug. Momentus states that the cost is roughly $15,000 per kg depending on the exact customer specifications. Vigoride uses a microwave electrothermal thruster (MET) and water as the propellant. In 2019, the first test of the MET in space was completed and was deemed a success in a press release, while the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission accused it of misleading investors. The maiden launch was originally scheduled for January 2021, but was delayed due to Momentus not being able to receive FAA approval before the launch. On 22 March 2021, a Vigoride mock-up named Vigoride SC was launched in place of a functional Vigoride. In October 2020, the company stated that it had already booked 1.5 Vigorides out of the 3 planned to be launched in December 2021. On 25 May 2022, Momentus launched its first Vigoride spacecraft aboard SpaceX Transporter 5 mission.

Missions

Past missions

Upcoming missions

References

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with Vigoride

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what Vigoride claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In science, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to Vigoride before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about Vigoride ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of Vigoride

In research: Vigoride appears in science research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry: Engineering practice reuses Vigoride in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom: Vigoride is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics Space tugs, Spacecraft launched in 2022, Spacecraft launched in 2023, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for Vigoride outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

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How to study Vigoride in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what Vigoride means in your own words.
Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
Explain Vigoride out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is Vigoride in simple terms?

Vigoride is a space tug developed and operated by Momentus Space. The total payload capacity that it can support to LEO is 750 kg.

Why does Vigoride matter?

Because it connects several science ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study Vigoride?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on Vigoride.