Author Topic: Blue origin photos and video  (Read 11334 times)

Offline publiusr

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Offline hop

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RE: Blue origin photos and video
« Reply #21 on: 01/13/2007 03:32 am »
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jimvela - 10/1/2007  6:50 PM
It is my understanding that it is due to pure H2O2 being very hazardous, much like the reason that they don't allow hydrazine...
That's a bit strange, given that a H202 powered rocketbelt was one of the main attractions at XPC '06.  I'm not sure what concentration the current "rocketman" belt uses, but the ISTR original Bell belt used 90%.

Nevertheless, that seems to be what the rules say http://www.xprize.org/assets/downloads/newsevents/LLC_Rules-2006-07-06.pdf
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A.3.9.1 The following fuels and oxidizers shall be considered safe for operation at the Competition Venue: ethane, ethyl alcohol, gaseous oxygen, hydrogen, H20, H202 in concentrations less than or equal to 70%, isopropyl alcohol, kerosene, liquid oxygen, methane, N20, propane, butane.

A.3.9.2 The following fuels and oxidizers shall be considered unsafe for operation at the Competition Venue: H202 in concentrations greater than 70%, nitric acid, hydrazine, unsymmetrical dimethylhydrazine, monomethylhydrazine, any hypergolic propellant combination.
It's hard to see H202 presenting more hazard to spectators while in flight than lox/hydrocarbon.  Given that either one can go BOOM in a mishap, the crowd has to be well beyond the range that could potentially bring them into contact with much propellant. Unlike hydrazine, a relatively distant mishap would be unlikely to present a poison risk.

XPC may feel that storage and handling present more risk, or perhaps there are regulatory issues at their site which rule it out.

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