Template:Specific impulse examples
| Engine | Effective exhaust velocity (m/s) |
Specific impulse (s) |
Exhaust specific energy (MJ/kg) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Turbofan jet engine (actual V is ~300 m/s) |
29,000 | 3,000 | Approx. 5 |
| Space Shuttle Solid Rocket Booster |
2,500 | 250 | 3 |
| Liquid oxygen-liquid hydrogen |
4,400 | 450 | 9.7 |
| Ion thruster | 29,000 | 3,000 | 430 |
| VASIMR[1][2][3] | 30,000–120,000 | 3,000–12,000 | 1,400 |
| Dual-stage 4-grid electrostatic ion thruster[4] | 210,000 | 21,400 | 22,500 |
| Ideal photonic rocket[a] | 299,792,458 | 30,570,000 | 89,875,517,874 |
- ^ A hypothetical device doing perfect conversion of mass to photons emitted perfectly aligned so as to be antiparallel to the desired thrust vector. This represents the theoretical upper limit for propulsion relying strictly on onboard fuel and the rocket principle.