Model rocket engines... what are the main "ingredients" of it? (ammonium perchlorate... thanks FoBoT)

[glenn1]

No, i'm not planning to make one at home. I'm just curious what the composition of the fuel for model rocket engines is, whether it's just phosphorus, or some other higher-order explosive substance...

 

[RichieZ]

Which ones? The cheap ones from estes or the better stuff from aerotech and other companies?

Then I used to launch at BANAR and LUNAR I was told the stuff in the aerotech engines was the same stuff NASA uses (I dunno if this is true), not sure wahts in the estes ones

 

[loup garou]

Originally posted by: RichieZZZZ
Then I used to launch at BANAR and LUNAR I was told the stuff in the aerotech engines was the same stuff NASA uses (I dunno if this is true), not sure wahts in the estes ones

Liquid Hydrogen and Oxygen eh?

 

[A5]

He meant the solid-fuel rocket engines(the big white ones on the shuttle).

 

[MadRat]

NASA uses oxygenated rubber in their solid propellants.

There used to be a slurry of sites that had that information until 9-11.

 

[loup garou]

Originally posted by: A5
He meant the solid-fuel rocket engines(the big white ones on the shuttle).

Hehe...I thought about that right after I posted. Forgot about those.

 

[yakko]

Isn't it just rat feces?

 

[FoBoT]

here is how they are tested but it doesn't say whats in them

here is a list of certified engines, lots of thrust data, no ingredients

this site says

Model Rockets are powered by single-use, pre-packaged solid propellant motors, containing either Black Powder (Gun Powder) or Ammonium Perchlorate.

so i think your answer is

Ammonium Perchlorate

 

[glenn1]

I'm probably talking the cheap ones then... they used to come in little cardboard tubes, which you'd just shove into the bottom of your rocket, and you'd generally ignite it with a small 9v battery unit. The "filling" of the tube was sort of a brownish-grey substance, likely a packed powder IIRC.

 

[tcsenter]

There are only two composition types for hobbyist (conventional) grade model rockets, even those made by Aerotech: one is good old black powder, the other is ammonium perchlorate. The latter is quite 'similar' to what is used by NASA in the Space Shuttle's Solid Booster Rockets, they both use ammonium perchlorate as its primary oxidizer, but I believe they use different fuels and burn rate modifiers.

Aerotech does have a hybrid or high power line of rocket engines which combine a liquid oxidizer such as nitrous oxide with a solid fuel.

 

[Amused]

My Ammonium Perchlorate powered rocket in action (on an Aerotech J350W).

 

[A5]

I was looking at that Aerotech stuff(only heard of Estes before this topic started )...must be really good for the prices they want

 

[sharkeeper]

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