MadSci Network: Engineering |
Hi Alex,
Rocket fuel is generally one of three types, solid, liquid, or gas
propellant. Rocket propellants typically use a chemical oxidizer, and
something to oxidize, and in the case of a solid propellant, a binder
to keep it all together.
An example of a solid booster rockets is the
white re-usable rockets strapped onto the sides of the large orange
liquid fuel tank on the space shuttle program. The liquid fuel tank on
the space shuttle held liquid oxygen and liquid hydrogen, which when
mixed, ignited instantly and formed water and heat for another engine
on
the space shuttle. Gas propellants are relatively uncommon since they
don't have much "kick" for their stored mass.
Lots of information is
available online about different types of rocket propellants. A good
place to start might be researching Robert Goddard, and maybe looking
up
some of the following links:
https://en.wikipedia.
org/wiki/Rocket_candy
http://www.estesrock
ets.com/rockets/engines
https://www.apogeero
ckets.com/Rocket_Motors
https://en.wikip
edia.org/wiki/Robert_H._Goddard
Try the links in the MadSci Library for more information on Engineering.