I wish them the best, but If I was them, I'd recommend taking down that
video ASAP, preferably before someone makes a copy that could find itself
in the hands of future investors or CalFire. Drone footage is nice but it
is also possible to have just too much, and a gimbal is good investment for
handheld footage. It's also worthwhile considering how you want to present
your company image.
Keeping some of the safety procedures in is a great touch and I appreciate
how there were technical details, but I agree that the safety procedures
they were employing were insufficient.
Finally, Ken, roughly which region of CA are you in? I'm part of a Berkeley
rocketry club and we are trying to get 2-3 members certified with
Pyrotechnic Operator Rockets Class One licenses so we can start testing
closer to home, rather than having to bring everything to FAR. We are in
touch with CalFire, but are looking for local PyroOps who we can work with
and learn from. If you are interested or know other PyroOps in the Bay
Area, I'd love to know.
On Fri, Jan 22, 2021 at 10:10 AM roxanna Mason <rocketmaster.ken@xxxxxxxxx>
wrote:
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