Low-cost rocket casing

[pauldear]

Gentlemen, it appears we have competition:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U4wTFuaV8VQ


Thanks to James Wagstaff of pictureandword for bringing this important development to my attention.
Paul.

[rick m]

That's one of my favorite you tube sites though there is a disclaimer at the end that says their research has shown bacon is not a suitable construction material for rockets. I also find it is far too expensive to be used as a rocket casing.

They actually got it backwards as bacon should not be powered by a powerful rocket but power the rocket with bacon that would then make Bacon and Rocketry, in Perfect Harmony. We tried bacon grease (why waste the bacon) with our oxidizer and it showed promise except for the low melting point...it did smell good.

My friend loves his shirt.

[pauldear]

I think the entire field of culinary astronautics is up for grabs here. There's already sugar-based rocketry and steam power. If we can work out how to integrate coffee we'll have it made.

[rick m]

Not a coffee person but we have tried flour, rice, peanut butter, pencil sharpener shavings, ground up tree leaves, etc.
Some things just naturally lend themselves for making a good propellant and others, well, let's say not so good.

[pauldear]

Coffee grounds - I think they contain a bit of oil, otherwise mostly cellulose and ligning I guess. And think of the smell at the launch.....ahhhhh.

[rick m]

" And think of the smell at the launch"

That is why I would never use coffee...I hate the taste and smell. I thought Brits love tea?

[pauldear]

Nah, I use espresso medicinally.

Actually, maybe dried tea-leaves plus oxidizer.... you could be sponsored by Tetley!

[rick m]

[pyramids]

Tea leaves + hydrogen peroxide --> hot, even steamed and a bit bleached tea, slightly sparkling (carbonated) from the accompanying CO2?

[rick m]

Just came across these old posts and they reminded me of the students in the afterschool rocketry club I used to have. I was sweeping autumn leaves from outside my door and one of my students said "Rocket fuel" and I said "Let's try it"

We let them thoroughly dry, crushed them, and then tried to grind it into a powder with mortar and pestle l (very hard to grind flexible flat things) and then soaked with super saturated solution of KNO3 for the oxidizer. The result? A very labor intensive low Isp propellant. After that experience, my students were always looking for new solid rocket fuels...cow dung, shavings from the pencil sharpener, etc.

Rick