rocket propellent

Dimethyl Hydraxine + Nitrogen Tetroxide. Enjoy.

Well, according to Jon Rogers in "The Spaceship Handbook" (admittedly not a textbook, but Appendix A is very good) matter/anti-matter is probably the best choice. However, due to the expense of creating anti-protons, I'd probably opt for a solid core nuclear reactor, since it has the advantage of not being only theoretical, but has actually been built and tested.

Nozzle throat diameter is just one variable. - the nozzle throat should normnally be smaller than the core diameter the number and size of the grains - determines how much propellant is burning at any one time, therefore how much exhaust gas is produced the shape of the core - affects the thrust curve shape - progressive, regressive, flat diameter of the motor - this will affect the burn time burn rate of your propellant - this can be changed by altering the recipe of the propellant

There is way too much to list in an e-mail message. I would highly recommend reading some motor design resources and then doing some careful, controlled experimentation through test burns of small motors. Video taping the test burns will make it easier to measure burn time even if you don't have a load cell to measure thrust.

-- Eric Benner TRA # 8975 L2 NAR # 79398

how did you make out with contacting NERO and DARK, Jeroen?

- iz

jeroen wrote:

Liquid Hydrogen and Oxygen...? LOX and Kerosene...? Hydrogen Peroxice and JP-4...?

Careful with the cryogens. :-)

Eric, consider acquiring the following publications

"How to Make Amateur Rockets, 2nd Ed.", by John Wickman

"Experimental Composite Propellant", by Terry McCreary

"Safe Manufacturing And Loading Practices For Solid Propellants Commonly Used In Traditional And High Power Experimental Rocket Activities" by Chuck Piper

"A Safety Manual for Experimental & Amateur Rocket Scientists", by Edward Jones

"Solid Propellant Engineering Vol. 2 - Advanced Nitrate-Type Solid Propellants", by Edward Jones

"Beginners Guide To Amateur Rocketry", from Pyrotek

"Designing Rocket Motors", James Lanier, and

"Plastic Resin Bonded Rocket Fuel Systems - Composite Motor Construction", from FireFox

"Rocket Propulsion Elements, 7th Ed", by George Sutton and

and the historical work,

"Rocket Manual for Amateurs", by Bertrand R. Brinely

- iz

Eric Benner wrote:

-- - --- - -- "Handling liquid hydrogen, then, has become a routine job, although it has to be treated with respect. If it gets loose, of course, it's a ferocious fire and explosion hazard, and all sorts of precautions have to be taken to make sure that oxygen doesn't get into the stuff, freeze, and produce a murderously touchy explosive. And there is a delightful extra something about a hydrogen fire - the flame is almost invisible, and at least in daylight, you can easily walk right into one without seeing it." -- J. Clark, "Ignition!"

-- - --- - --

-dave w

How bad could it be? It's not a regulated explosive is it?

I'm jok>Len Lekx wrote:

Phil Stein

Routine for industrial use, maybe... but not for thee and me. :-)

That question's just _begging_ for a witty remark. :)

Wasn't that used in the Titan missile? "Messy" but not cryogenic. Definitely not for beginners though. Larry Lobdell Jr.

I thought project pluto was killed before it was built?

Can you get KP (in drums) and any plastic like asphalt? Heat mix & pour.

Jerry

NO HUMAN CONTACT OR IMMEDIATE PROXIMITY. NONE.

Just safety Jerry

But ALL of those are far more human handleable.

Jerry

Precisely.

LH2/LOX amateur rockets. In stock now for immediate delivery. 80kns+.

Jerry

Phil Stein

Nope, not entirely. Consult Jack Hagerty's _Spaceship Handbook_ for details, but they actually built a full-up version of the gas-core nuclear ramjet and test ran it. It required a huge amount of GSE because it gobbled down a ton of air per second, which then had to be trapped because it couldn't just be vented to atmosphere.

No flight article was ever tested because they couldn't figure out where to test the thing safely. If it had gotten away from them on a test flight the results would not have been pretty.

mj

The official DOE version:

and, of course, input from Henry Spencer:

Brad Hitch

FWIW, I have known people who would commonly put their bare hands into aqueous hydrazine solutions, so its not like Sarin or VX (pesticides for people).