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Solid-Propellant Rockets. Nell Tebbets. History 400 B.C. steam-propelled wooden bird 100 B.C. aelopile first century A.D. fireworks 1232 first use as weapon of war 13th - 15th centuries much experimenting and improving less use as weapons 16th century step rocket
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Solid-Propellant Rockets Nell Tebbets
History • 400 B.C. steam-propelled wooden bird • 100 B.C. aelopile • first century A.D. fireworks • 1232 first use as weapon of war • 13th - 15th centuries much experimenting and improving • less use as weapons • 16th century step rocket • Newton’s laws of motion • 1720 steam-propelled model car • 18th- 19th centuries weapons revival
History - Modern Rocketry • 1898 space exploration by rocket proposed • early 20th century Goddard’s experiments • liquid-propelled rockets • October 4, 1957 Sputnik I • January 31, 1958 Explorer I • July 20, 1969 moon landing
Schematic • fuel and oxidizer packed together in solid cylinder • will not burn until heat is applied
Operating Principal Newton’s third law of motion: “For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction.”
Operating Principal Thrust: amount depends on mass flow through engine and exit velocity of gas
Advantages and Disadvantages Advantages Easier to handle than liquid rockets, can sit for years before firing, inexpensive, efficient Disadvantages Have to destroy casing to stop engine
Applications • communication • fireworks • transportation of objects • boosters for space launch vehicles
Sources http://www.grc.nasa.gov/WWW/K-12/airplane/rktengine.html http://www.grc.nasa.gov/WWW/K-12/airplane/rockth.html http://www.grc.nasa.gov/WWW/K-12/TRC/Rockets/ history_of_rockets.html