This reminds me of a delightful passage from “Ignition!”, rocketry expert Jon Clark’s memoir. It’s a wonderful read, sometimes thick on the technical details but also full of entertaining anecdotes delivered with wit from the early days of rocketry. He was writing about experiments with chlorine trifluoride as an oxidizer, which appealed because of how immensely potent it is as an oxider, and the fact that’s hypergolic (ignites on contact) with all the typical fuels. Too potent, unfortunately; it was ultimately abandoned due to the difficulties in handling the stuff.
“It is, of course, extremely toxic, but that’s the least of the problem. It is hypergolic with every known fuel, and so rapidly hypergolic that no ignition delay has ever been measured. It is also hypergolic with such things as cloth, wood, and test engineers, not to mention asbestos, sand, and water-with which it reacts explosively. It can be kept in some of the ordinary structural metals-steel, copper, aluminium, etc.-because of the formation of a thin film of insoluble metal fluoride which protects the bulk of the metal, just as the invisible coat of oxide on aluminium keeps it from burning up in the atmosphere. If, however, this coat is melted or scrubbed off, and has no chance to reform, the operator is confronted with the problem of coping with a metal-fluorine fire. For dealing with this situation, I have always recommended a good pair of running shoes.”
sirbadger about 1 year ago
Why are they running the same direction? If they split up, one can laugh at the other.
Imagine about 1 year ago
Duck!
minty_Joe about 1 year ago
Patriot Model Rocket.
Imagine about 1 year ago
Maybe next time aim the things upwards.
dflak about 1 year ago
I never had this problem. Most of my rockets blew up on the launch pad.
calliarcale about 1 year ago
This reminds me of a delightful passage from “Ignition!”, rocketry expert Jon Clark’s memoir. It’s a wonderful read, sometimes thick on the technical details but also full of entertaining anecdotes delivered with wit from the early days of rocketry. He was writing about experiments with chlorine trifluoride as an oxidizer, which appealed because of how immensely potent it is as an oxider, and the fact that’s hypergolic (ignites on contact) with all the typical fuels. Too potent, unfortunately; it was ultimately abandoned due to the difficulties in handling the stuff.
“It is, of course, extremely toxic, but that’s the least of the problem. It is hypergolic with every known fuel, and so rapidly hypergolic that no ignition delay has ever been measured. It is also hypergolic with such things as cloth, wood, and test engineers, not to mention asbestos, sand, and water-with which it reacts explosively. It can be kept in some of the ordinary structural metals-steel, copper, aluminium, etc.-because of the formation of a thin film of insoluble metal fluoride which protects the bulk of the metal, just as the invisible coat of oxide on aluminium keeps it from burning up in the atmosphere. If, however, this coat is melted or scrubbed off, and has no chance to reform, the operator is confronted with the problem of coping with a metal-fluorine fire. For dealing with this situation, I have always recommended a good pair of running shoes.”
ladykat about 1 year ago
Pray that rocket runs out of fuel soon.
The Gun Doctor about 1 year ago
Similar to when the roman candle falls over during launch.
ekke about 1 year ago
Nothing like incentive to improve performance!
Fennec! at the Disco about 1 year ago
Split off in opposite directions. Get out of its immediate path!
(Just like if a car is chasing you, get off the road!)
Angry Indeed Premium Member about 1 year ago
I like how their legs blur into whirlwinds just like some cartoons.