Winston
Lorenzo von Matterhorn
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Bizarre - Black Arrow H2O2/RP-1
- Thread starter Winston
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TopRamen
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Tonimus
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Awesome pic of the drive end. It is not lit, though. Assuming it burned so perfectly that you couldn't see the flame at all (which is unlikely, you'd still see a faint blue tint on a burn) you would still see heat refraction of the air around it.
TopRamen
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So then Tominus, by what magic means does it levitate???
I believe this video will answer everyones question.
[video=youtube;aUJoESpNk_Y]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aUJoESpNk_Y[/video]
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xVc3u1Uyjhg
I believe this video will answer everyones question.
[video=youtube;aUJoESpNk_Y]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aUJoESpNk_Y[/video]
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xVc3u1Uyjhg
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TopRamen
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Woah, I'm not trying to start an argument, but even when lit the plumes are barely visible, but I doubt that they can possibly be unlit in the first pic' because that would mean that it lifts off initially under only gas pressure, which may well be the case, but I just find that to be hard to swallow.
I'm sure Winston will figure it out for us as he always goes the extra mile and then some when it comes to researching these kind of things.
I would not be surprised if he finds a pre-flight and ignition sequence checklist.
Kudos to Winston for the time he puts into these things.
I'm sure Winston will figure it out for us as he always goes the extra mile and then some when it comes to researching these kind of things.
I would not be surprised if he finds a pre-flight and ignition sequence checklist.
Kudos to Winston for the time he puts into these things.
TopRamen
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I found it, what is happening and why it is invisible:
https://www.redfunnel.co.uk/island-...e-attractions/needles-rocket-testing-station/
"With engine makers Armstrong Siddley, Saunders Roe adapted this motor for space operations and evolved special methods to fabricate the large, lightweight tanks needed to hold the propellant which made up some 90% of the rocket's total mass. Of special concern was the need to maintain cleanliness and chemical purity when dealing with high-test peroxide which reacts rapidly with most substances by violently separating into very high temperature steam and oxygen. The high test hydrogen peroxide (H3O2) ignited instantly on contact with kerosene into super heated steam that could propel the missile faster than the speed of sound, but with an almost invisible flame wake."
https://www.redfunnel.co.uk/island-...e-attractions/needles-rocket-testing-station/
"With engine makers Armstrong Siddley, Saunders Roe adapted this motor for space operations and evolved special methods to fabricate the large, lightweight tanks needed to hold the propellant which made up some 90% of the rocket's total mass. Of special concern was the need to maintain cleanliness and chemical purity when dealing with high-test peroxide which reacts rapidly with most substances by violently separating into very high temperature steam and oxygen. The high test hydrogen peroxide (H3O2) ignited instantly on contact with kerosene into super heated steam that could propel the missile faster than the speed of sound, but with an almost invisible flame wake."
Winston
Lorenzo von Matterhorn
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Yep, that's a characteristic of H2O2 propelled rockets. Consider - H2O2 -> H2O. My comment about this being "bizarre" was not related to not understanding why it was so, but because it's unusual for the rockets we typically see.
Also, if you watch all of three of those videos on the Black Arrow, you will see shock (mach) diamonds. Part of the reason you don't see them in that still photo is probably related to the low quality and exposure of the photo and the background behind the plumes. On a blue sky, they stand out more.
Tonimus
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AHAHAHAHAHA! So I first looked at this thread while at work. The first picture with the Black Arrow coming off the pad, is hosted by a site that is blocked by my employer's firewall. So when I replied to this, I couldn't see that pic. Viewed it on another computer and I see the picture, and indeed it does look like it is hovering. Looked at it on my laptop, which I have the screen calibrated for graphics work, and I can see the plume. Odd.
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