I don't think Randa sanctioned them, they may have met one time out at
Mojave and instantly thought they can do that, just judging from their work.
Like going to a concert and seeing how 'easy' a musician performs his
masterpieces. It always looks easier than it really is.
They should start out with GOx and a hydrocarbon to get shock diamonds. At
least with one gaseous propellant it's nearly impossible to fragment your
TCA.
Then build on your confidence locating a mentor wherever you can even if at
a long distance.
Ken
On Fri, Jan 22, 2021 at 8:21 AM Henry Vanderbilt <hvanderbilt@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
wrote:
I watched the whole video, listening carefully (despite the awful
faux-portentious soundtrack, which I wish rocket teams would STOP DOING for
their vids as it's overdone to the point of obnoxiousness.)
RE the propellants involved, at 2:10 the checklist reader states "we are
using three-and-a-half liters nitric acid, four liters furfuryl acohol, at
250 psi".
I am utterly unsurprised the Millirons are associated, both on the general
much-ado-about-little-visible-substance approach, and on a number of subtle
style cues - let's just say that you get a feeling for these things after
enough decades on the scene.
Looking at the website team listing, there does not seem to be a great
deal of actual rocket expertise involved.
Yes, if someone can persuade these people they want to take a few more
basic precautions against involuntary nitric acid showers, not to mention
against breathing the orange cloud drifting (fortunately) up and away
after, it would be a good thing.
Henry
On 1/22/2021 8:31 AM, David Spain wrote:
On 1/21/2021 8:49 PM, George Herbert wrote:
See: https://player.vimeo.com/video/500339036
<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