Estes Cold Power/Propulsion (1973)

[GL-P]

Anyone know anything about this?

I got curious looking through an old Estes catalogue.

They refer to aerosol cans as a fuel (R-100?) and the rocket needs a seperate device for ejection.

Sounds an awfully a lot like a hybrid motor.

 

[rstaff3]

Except the propulsion ONLY comes from compressed gas, no fire involved

 

[sandman]

I believe it used freon R-12...the bad stuff that destroys the ozone!

I wonder if they could be adapted to run on co2 liquid/gas. Readily available and more environmentally friendly.

 

[illini]

Man, I had almost forgotten about that! Yeah, it was freon.

 

[rstaff3]

Originally posted by sandman
I believe it used freon R-12...the bad stuff that destroys the ozone!

I wonder if they could be adapted to run on co2 liquid/gas. Readily available and more environmentally friendly.

https://home.att.net/~cruller1/Matthew.html

 

[sandman]

OMG!!!

I did the exact same demonstration (minus the airbrush propellant and the R-134a propellant) about 42 years ago!

I even used the same Erector set motor!

The only differance was I used a coffee can! And my engines burned vertically not horizontal.

Talk about dejavu!

 

[GL-P]

Ha!

Nasty stuff they were using. Dang CFCs!

Probably pretty inefficient

Thanks for the info!

 

[astronboy]

I never owned a coldpower rocket, but I did have one of he Coldpower cars. Basically, launching as very simple: you poked the freon straw through a cardstock barrier, into the motor nozzle, and then opened the valve on the can. To launch, you just pulled the straw out of the motor nozzle, and the cardstock was supposed to prevent your freeze drying the skin off of your hand.

I remember it all being very exciting until 'launch.' My after launch memries are that it was lame in the extreme....


Phred

 

[Elapid]

of the Valkyrie 2 rockets
i don't recall a whole lot of launches, but it was definitely cool!
co2 would have too high a pressure to work, but the new refrigerants should work fine...just a little less oomph.

i keep waiting for a killer deal on some of these things on ebay...
lol!

(not holding my breath)

 

[KarlD]

I still have the motor bottle and coupler tube from my Cold-power rig. Kind-of battered after 30 years but still intact.

It did use R-12 as propellent. I guess you could use the newer stuff with it, but I will not attempt it.