[AR] Re: “Transitioning space propulsion to a nitrous-based industry standard”
- From: Norman Yarvin <yarvin@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: arocket@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Tue, 4 Apr 2023 16:49:32 -0400
On Tue, Apr 04, 2023 at 01:49:41PM +0200, Ben Brockert wrote:
Curious if anyone has interesting thoughts on
https://payloadspace.com/transitioning-space-propulsion-to-a-nitrous-based-industry-standard/
They don't mention what fuel they'd be pairing it with, I suppose
because there are many suitable fuels -- but probably none that are
hypergolic. The industry has moved away from hypergolics for launch,
but not for precise orbital maneuvering, likely because it's a big
advantage to be able to just release a blip of fuel and oxidizer and
know they will combust immediately: no having to wait for a torch
igniter to fire up.
My guess is that one could design a spark igniter that worked as well:
basically, just keep ramping up the spark power until ignition is
reliable. Even if that wasn't viable in ye olden days, it should be
with modern electronics. Still, it might take a fair bit of work; it
doesn't seem appropriate to just assume it will work, and even less
appropriate to make no mention of the issue.
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