[AR] Re: Pythom Space safety concerns

  • From: David Spain <david.l.spain@xxxxxxxxx>
  • To: arocket@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
  • Date: Fri, 22 Jan 2021 10:31:31 -0500

On 1/21/2021 8:49 PM, George Herbert wrote:

See: https://player.vimeo.com/video/500339036 <https://player.vimeo.com/video/500339036>
And  https://pythomspace.com

They’re in Bishop, California doing a currently small WFNA/something hypergolic rocket motor

I did a little sleuthing off their website. Here they mention consultation with friends at Interorbital (para 9):

https://www.pythom.com/ps/Pythomspace-First-Hot-Test-Hell-Yeah-2021-01-15-27998

Now over at the Interorbital website, they mention their Neptune rocket which is powered by WFNA and turpentine.
Here para-4:
https://www.interorbital.com/Launch%20Vehicles

I doubt that the information about Interorbital is news to the regulars here.

Also see the video above at 01:52 one of the team opening pressure values on what I would presume are nitrogen tanks, with the silver (stainless steel?) tanks behind them presumably containing fuel and oxidizer. There is also a point in the video at 2:03 showing a team member adding what I presume is a reactant from a step ladder to an opening at the top of the trailer. Note also from the 01:52 video still, the feed lines running from the roof of the trailer into the silver tanks. Since nitrogen valves are also mentioned in the video. So I'm willing to make a (small) wager that they are using a pressure fed GN2 with WFNA/Turpentine engine.

As per lack of shock diamonds, they mention that in the above link in para 13.

So George, I hope you are able to reach them sooner rather than later.

5... 3... 4... 2... 1...

Dave




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