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From: ins_aeas@jhunix.UUCP (Earle A .Sugar)
Newsgroups: net.columbia
Subject: Re: SRB vs liquid
Message-ID: <1759@jhunix.UUCP>
Date: Wed, 5-Feb-86 11:57:46 EST
Article-I.D.: jhunix.1759
Posted: Wed Feb  5 11:57:46 1986
Date-Received: Fri, 7-Feb-86 21:58:13 EST
References: <615@uwvax.UUCP>
Organization: The Johns Hopkins University
Lines: 36

> On the news last night (McNeal, Leherer (sp)) two gentlemen 
> were disagreeing on the safty of a SRB vs. liquid fuel rocket. It
> was implied that due to NASA budget restrictions, SRBs were used
> when liquid fuel was better/safer.
> 
> Whats the scoop on this? Is there any truth to it?
> 
> Rob Hagens
First, remember that liquid fueled rockets are a much older technology
than modern type solid fuel rockets(fireworks notwithstanding).  In fact, if
I remember my history right, Goddard's rockets were liquid fueled.  Liquid
fuels are generally volatile (i.e. H2, O2), poisonous (N2O4, CH3NHNH2),
or both.  They can be unstable
at room temperature, require high pressure/low temps to stay liquid,
and in general are a pain to handle.  Solid fuel, on the other hand, 
is easy to handle, stable, and generally nontoxic (aluminum powder and
ammonium perchlorate), or at least a lot less so than N2O2.  The advantage
liquid fuel has is that its combustion can be more easily controlled
than solid fuel rockets (how does one put a throttle on a roman candle?).
As for the asssertion that SRBs were used because of budget constraints,
I remember shuttle descriptions included SRBs even in the early 70s
when the shuttle was being conceived.  At that time, the Air Force
was installing solid fueled Minuteman missiles, and their solid fuel
rockets were considered the state of the propulsion art, making liquid
fueled Titans obsolete.
-- 
______________________________________________________________________________

Earle A. Sugar
Disclaimer:"I doubt anyone else here agrees with me."
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