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In rocketry, the only reaction mass is the propellant, so the specific impulse is calculated using an alternative method, giving results with units of seconds. Specific impulse is defined as the thrust integrated over time per unit weight-on-Earth of the propellant: [9] =, where
Using liquid methane and liquid oxygen as propellants is sometimes called methalox propulsion. [19] Liquid methane has a lower specific impulse than liquid hydrogen, but is easier to store due to its higher boiling point and density, as well as its lack of hydrogen embrittlement. It also leaves less residue in the engines compared to kerosene ...
A liquid-propellant rocket or liquid rocket uses a rocket engine burning liquid propellants. (Alternate approaches use gaseous or solid propellants.) Liquids are desirable propellants because they have reasonably high density and their combustion products have high specific impulse (I sp). This allows the volume of the propellant tanks to be ...
Solid fuel rockets have lower specific impulse, a measure of propellant efficiency, than liquid fuel rockets. As a result, the overall performance of solid upper stages is less than liquid stages even though the solid mass ratios are usually in the .91 to .93 range, as good as or better than most liquid propellant upper stages.
RP-1 (Rocket Propellant-1 or Refined Petroleum-1) and similar fuels like RG-1 and T-1 are highly refined kerosene formulations used as rocket fuel. Liquid-fueled rockets that use RP-1 as fuel are known as kerolox rockets. In their engines, RP-1 is atomized, mixed with liquid oxygen (LOX), and ignited to produce thrust.
Liquid propellants provide greater propulsive thrust and power, but require more complex technology and extra weight. Solid fuel is dense and burns quite quickly, generating thrust over a short time.
The most common use of monopropellants [3] is in low-impulse monopropellant rocket motors, [4] such as reaction control thrusters, the usual propellant being hydrazine [5] [6] which is generally decomposed by exposure to an iridium [7] [8] catalyst bed (the hydrazine is pre-heated to keep the reactant liquid).
North Korea’s known ICBMs all use liquid propellants that must be fueled before launches. But the fuel in a solid-propellant weapon is already loaded, allowing it to be moved easier and fired ...