Solid rocket motor for experimental sounding rockets. In the book rocket boys the book october sky was based off of, the very first test rocket he built out of an old flashlight was fueled with powder from a leftover cherry bomb firework. Composed of powdered zinc metal and powdered sulfur oxidizer, zs or micrograin is another pressed propellant. Sparks fly and smoke billows in this dramatic chemical demo. Zinc is a bluishwhite metal used to galvanize iron and is also found in alloys, batteries, and rubber. Markus bindhammer worked out a way to make solid rocket propellant from newspaper. In chapter twentyone, the rocket boys gather at cape coalwood to test the first of their zinc sulfur rockets. Some rocket engines use a mixture of hydrazinen2h4 and hydrogen peroxideh2o2 as the propellant. Sill beta sounding rocket, it was a big deal for us when it was flown in 69, and pretty extreme for those days. Apcp pretty much obsoletes zinc sulfur for the purposes of what we do. The alpha is a solid fueled rocket by what is called a micrograin propellant.
I think he used gunpowder with some kind of glue around it for auk 1 but then they did something else later in the movie to make it better. Frequently asked questions about amateur motorsrockets. One night, he and the bcma are lighting up fuel near their house when mr. It has a tremendous amount of information on liquid propellant rockets as well as solid propellants. Zincsulfur rocket propellant pyrotechnics compositions. Rrs beta plans members only these are the drawing for the classic zinc sulfur beta rocket developed in the early years by rrs members. In this web exclusive, adam and jamie use their bullet baloney vacuum chamber to see. Worlds largest sugar rocket motor propellant grain and 3rd flight of the phoenix rocket duration. This propellant is often refferred to as candy propellant. That sounds more dangerous to me than the zinc sulfur propellant in brinley. The book calls for phase stabilized ammonium nitrate psan. Apcp is cast into shape, as opposed to powder pressing as with black powder. Nc lacquer solvent rocket propellant blue strobe ammonium perchlorate. Magnalium 200 mesh magnesium 100 mesh, flake potassium dichromate.
I doubt it will, but work slowly and in small quantities at a time and with as much distance between you and the pot as you can. As far as more useful information is concerned, the book goes on to mention that it was one of the two most widelyused amateur propellants, the other being micrograin zinc sulphur. Adding aluminum increase the burning temp from around 2000 of a typical zns to over 2300. Experimental rocketry is now referred to as research rocketry by tripoli. How to make solid rocket fuel ignition with zinc and sulfur science. The products of the reaction also include small amounts of zinc oxide zno and sulfur dioxide so 2. Is zinc and sulphur dust added together a flash powder. You can carry out potassium nitrate reaction experiments with many compounds, including acids, sugar and sulfur. The propellant was melt cast and not micrograin powder mixedpacked. The earliest rockets were solid fuel rockets powered by gunpowder.
Ive learned about a good one recently that i want to try out its very simple but should be fun some of you may be familiar with a movie called october sky about a boy named homer hickam who loves building rockets the movie is based off of a book. This is the type of cooking that gets me excited, because im experimenting with recipes for solidstate rocket fuel. It turns out that old newsprint can be a bit explosive. Launched at the friends of amateur rocketry far site on september 24, 2011. How to make solid rocket fuel ignition with zinc and sulfur. Rocket making for amateurs another living dangerously. Zinc sulphur rocket do definately work these were the first rockets that i ever flew and got me into model rocketry. Sciencemadness discussion board sharing some information. Of the two and a half pages devoted to this propellant, however, a full half of this was spent describing how difficult and messy it purportedly was to use. Ammonium perchlorate composite propellant wikipedia. The zinc would have to be purchased already in a powdered state since it. It was also nominated by the national book critics circle as best biography of 1998. I typed this line few years ago and i have forgotten the source where i saw it from, aluminum does burn hotter with sulfur than zinc, however im not sure of the temperature, i expect it to go lower hotmelt propellant of sulfur and zinc can fully coat.
Zinc and sulfur react to form zinc sulfide according to. Wow, i did not know zinc sulfur was that sensitive, by the look of the above photo they do look nice. Zinc and sulfur react with each other violently to produce zinc s. So far ive got the magnesium, hydrochloric acid, but the zinc and sulfur powder are on their way to my house. Im not sure if this has been posted here or not but im gonna go ahead and do so, also this is my first posting of a composition so im sorry for the wall of text and please point out anything i missed. Like zincsulfur, the burn rate depends on the particle size and how much it is.
Markus bindhammer worked out a way to make solid rocket propellant from news. I used the instructions in this book as a kid in the 60. Amateur rocketry motor engine propellant jacobs rocketry. He was carrying a plastic bag of leftover micro grain fuel out to burn it off, and brushed the bag of fuel against a fence as he walked, which he believed drew a static spark through the powder. Charcoal 150 mesh rocket propellant kno3 potassium nitrate. He dries the clay and lights up a small portion of it, happily noting that its extremely flammable, and thus makes for good fuel. The rrs standard mixture is 80% zinc and 20% sulfur by weight. Rocket manual for amateurs notes from the technology. The very first propellants that i experimented with were zincsulfur as well as black powder.
Its burn rate depends on how small the particle size is for each and how much it is compressed. Another good book is the rocket handbook for amateurs lt. The simple mixture of zinc and sulfur powders is relatively safe, but requires. Amateur rocketry was an especially popular hobby in the late 1950s and early 1960s following the launch of sputnik, as described in homer hickams memoir rocket boys one of the first organizations set up in the us to engage in amateur rocketry was the pacific rocket society established in. In a rocket engine you need an oxidant, fuel and a moderator to ensure a controlled burn. Zincsulfur rocket propellant posted in pyrotechnics compositions.
It is best prepared by melting the potassium nitrate and sugar together, but this is a dangerous operation and could result in accidential ignition during preperation. It was selected by the new york times as one of its great books of 1998 and was an alternate book ofthemonth selection for both the literary guild and doubleday book clubs. A solidpropellant rocket or solid rocket is a rocket with a rocket engine that uses solid propellants fuel oxidizer. Rocket propellant manufactured from old newspaper hackaday. Stongs the amateur scientist utilized a 75% zinc 25% sulfur mixture. The rocket propellant that provided great results for me in my early work was the. The rocket was designed and built by david elliott and lee rosenthal, and was tested in 1950 with the assistance of other members of the rrs. In the old days, all amateurs had to work with was zincsulfur packed powder, packed black powder or potassium nitratesugar. I recall an amateur rocketry hobbyist getting severely burned by a zinc sulfur rocket fuel accident.
This reaction produces enough hot gas to propel small rockets. In the following section, i will cover some of the most common fuel sources, as well as some interesting experimental ones. A solidpropellant rocket or solid rocket is a rocket with a rocket engine that uses solid. Making rocket fuel with kitchen chemistry today were doing some kitchen chemistry using common household items.
Look up a physics book for thrust and specific impulse for more information. The zinc would have to be purchased already in a powdered state since it cant be milled. More information on zinc sulfur may be found in brinleys rocket manual for amateurs or bill colburns the micrograin rocket. It differs from many traditional solid rocket propellants such as black powder or zinc sulfur, not only in chemical composition and overall performance, but also by the nature of how it is processed. The reaction with zinc produces flame and a near explosion. Rocket making for amateurs another living dangerously art. The zinc and sulfur fine powders are one of the earliest solid propellants used in amateur rocketry and was invented by rrs founder, george james. Brinleys book contains instructions for making for micrograin rocket engines pulverized zinc and sulfur. You just dont want ignition occurring beneath the surface. Zinc sulphur uk rocketry uk pyrotechnics society forums. Once used as solid rocket fuel because the reaction requires no oxygen, sulfur and zinc react vigorously. Rocket boys has been translated into eight languages and has received many awards.
Currently these pages explain homemade model rocket motors homemade high power rocket. He mixes moonshine, zinc, and sulfur, and gets a thick, claylike substance. Sparks fly and smoke billows in this dramatic chemical demonstration. The 260 the largest solid rocket motor ever tested pdf. Ammonium perchlorate composite propellant apcp is a modern fuel used in solidpropellant rocket vehicles.
It covers sugar based propellants as well as zincsulfur propellants in detail. Its burn rate is between 14 and 290 inches per second. A manual called micrograin by bj humphries may be available via amazon or abe books. What is a good ratio of propellant elements zinc dust. Zinc sulfur rocket zns at far site by hal duffy september. Zinc sulfur fuel, micrograin, zinkitt composition type. Zinc oxide, sulphur, iron oxide can do all of things as moderators, but what is the oxidant and the fuel that you are using. This study guide consists of approximately 50 pages of chapter summaries, quotes, character analysis, themes, and more everything you need to sharpen your knowledge of rocket boys. Great memoirs must balance the universal and the particular. This is the index to my experimental rocketry pages.
Some potassium nitrate experiments involve handling concentrated acids and toxic vapors, so they should be supervised in a lab with all necessary safety precautions. Kevin macleod once used as solid rocket fuel, because the reaction requires no oxygen. Thank you for joining me today on the king of random here in the studio we love a good science experiment. It is also referred to as amateur experimental rocketry. This is the third type of compressed propellant but is not considered a dependable fuel now since there is so much information and chemicals available for other fuels. Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools. There was nothing fancy about them the design was a bic pen barrel, with the nib end blockeb, a mixture of zinc powder and sulphur powder in the barrel. The more dense it is compacted, the slower the burn rate.