[FPSPACE] Scaled Composites explosion

[E.P. Grondine]

And because of their lack of use of a test stand, it is likely that all that 
Scaled Composites et al. will have to go on will be the debris from the 
explosion.

I wonder if they even used a video camera, and if it survived.

E.P.

>From: "Sven Grahn" <svengrahn at telia.com>
>To: <Palladium at aol.com>, <FPSPACE at friends-partners.org>
>Subject: Re: [FPSPACE] Scaled Composites explosion
>Date: Wed, 1 Aug 2007 08:22:22 +0200
>
>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
> > _______________________________________________
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> > FPSPACE at friends-partners.org
> > http://www.friends-partners.org/mailman/listinfo/fpspace
> >
>
>
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