Hydrogen
Hydrogen is the chemical element with the symbol H and atomic number 1. Hydrogen is the lightest element. At standard conditions hydrogen is a gas of diatomic molecules having the formula H2. It is colorless, odorless, tasteless, non-toxic, and highly combustible. Hydrogen is the most abundant chemical substance in the universe, constituting roughly 75% of all normal matter. Stars such as the Sun are mainly composed of hydrogen in the plasma state ... For the most common isotope of hydrogen (symbol 1H) each atom has one proton, one electron, and no neutrons.One of the most important substances in Known Space, hydrogen and its isotopes of deutrium and tritium are used as fuel in the PJ Drives that every space-faring vessel uses to get around, and it is vitally important in antimatter reactions, the only substance with enough energy density to power the FourDrive, allowing for FtL travel between stars.
History & Usage
History
Known since the days of pre-spaceflight Earth, after methods were developed to obtain hydrogen quickly and easily, its potential as an energy source has long been known. As humanity spread its wings out over the wider solar system, and more complex chemical rockets became impractical, hydrogen finally found its niche in fusion drives and reactors and more easily accessible sources were needed. Thankfully, the universe is not short of its most simplest element, and the gas giant of Saturn became humanities first large-scale hydrogen mine.
When the first FtL technology was developed, the Krasnikov-Hiraski Event, the only energy source capable of providing such demands was that of matter-antimatter annihilation, and not only was fusion required to power the particle accelerators used to make antimatter, hydrogen was the best source suited to provide the protons necessary for reaction with the anti-protons.
Wherever humans travel, one of the first things set up is a hydrogen mine in a local gas giant. Without this, a system is reliant on other, less practical energy sources, or on imports from other systems.
Discovery
In 1766, Henry Cavendish was the first to recognize hydrogen gas as a discrete substance, by naming the gas from a metal-acid reaction "inflammable air". He speculated that "inflammable air" was in fact identical to the hypothetical substance called "phlogiston" and further finding in 1781 that the gas produces water when burned.
Everyday use
Fusion plasma by From IAEA
Refinement
Mining Platform in a gas giant by Xah
Byproducts & Sideproducts
Most by-products in hydrogen mining find some use, with very few being discarded entirely. The primary by-product is helium, found in substantial quantities along with hydrogen, and which finds use primarily as a coolant. Other important substances extracted alongside hydrogen are nitrogenous compounds such as methane, used in a variety of other processes from fertilisers to explosives, and phosphorus containing compounds, with phosphorus being vital for organic life, and being relatively rare outside of terrestrial worlds.
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