[FPSPACE] Scaled Composites explosion

[Sven Grahn]

The N2O is hard to decompose. A propulsion expert I talked to says that it 
takes a temperature of 1400 C to start the process. But the reaction is 
exothermic, so once started could sustain itself if aided by a combustions 
process (such as in a hybrid). However, catalysts may help sustain the 
decomposition. But, if the N2O really started decomposing during the 
accident, how was the process started. My friend mentioned that the presence 
of air and "hammering" in fuel lines may help tiggering the decomposition. 
But, it is hard to judge what happened in the absence of detailed 
inforamtion about what went on during the test.

Sven

----- Original Message ----- 
From: <Palladium at aol.com>
To: <FPSPACE at friends-partners.org>
Sent: Tuesday, July 31, 2007 8:28 PM
Subject: Re: [FPSPACE] Scaled Composites explosion


> <<Scaled Composites' test stand appeared to be the Spaceship 2 
> transporter.
> There were no dirt berms around it, and there was a vehicle with gasoline
> parked nearby when the explosion occured.  Rutan said they had run the 
> cycle
> a hundred times, but that must have been with Spaceship 1 - which had
> different systems than Spaceship 2.>>
>
> Here's a PDF view of the "test trailer" used for Spaceship 1:
>
> http://www.scaled.com/projects/tierone/data_sheets/html/prop_test_trailer_p1.htm
>
> And another of the oxydizer tank system:
>
> http://www.scaled.com/projects/tierone/data_sheets/html/ox_tank.htm
>
> And the MONODS system used to store NO2 and transfer fuel to the 
> spacecraft:
>
> http://www.scaled.com/projects/tierone/data_sheets/html/monods.htm
>
> No evidence of any protective berms, blockhouses or whatever that I can 
> see, though the pictures of the test trailer are cropped tightly and there 
> may be some protective berming out of frame.
>
> I don't want to jump to conclusions, here. But could it be the whole 
> corporate culture at Scaled Composites bought into the notion that hybrids 
> were totally "safe"? That, by using two non-volatile propellants (rubber 
> and NO2), they'd eliminated the explosive potential that made other 
> rockets dangerous?
>
> D.S. Michaels
> _______________________________________________
> FPSPACE mailing list
> FPSPACE at friends-partners.org
> http://www.friends-partners.org/mailman/listinfo/fpspace
>