#11
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A Steampunk orbital launch has actually been done, after a fashion: The UK's first--and so far only--self-launched satellite, Prospero (see: www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-14783135 ), was orbited by a mostly steam-powered launch vehicle called Black Arrow (see: www.britain-in-space.co.uk/1960/blackarrow.html ). Its first two stages were powered by hydrogen peroxide (its small third stage used solid propellant), whose tanks took up nearly the entire volume of each stage. The decomposition of the hydrogen peroxide in a silver mesh catalyst pack in each rocket engine produced superhot steam that contained some gaseous oxygen. A small tank of kerosene in each stage provided this fuel to burn with the hot oxygen gas. The exhaust was clearly mostly steam, though, as Black Arrow's exhaust flames were very pale, small, transparent, and dim. It was definitely "Neo-Victorian" technology, but it was quite practical nonetheless! In addition: Below are several links to scale data (and historical information) on Black Knight, which was also steam-powered and--with its riveted panels--had a "Neo-Victorian" appearance. Like Black Arrow, it is also covered in "Rockets of the World: 4th Edition" by Peter Alway, which is available from NAR Technical Services (NARTS, see: https://blastzone.org/nar/narts/sto...d=1080035015601 ). It is also covered in "A Vertical Empire: The History of the British Rocketry Programme 1950 - 1971" by Nicholas Hill (see: www.spaceuk.org/ ), which is available cheap (both the first and second editions) from AbeBooks.com www.abebooks.com. And: There is a downloadable Black Knight cardstock model that can be flown as a model rocket (see: www.nielspapermodels.com/BK.htm [they also have cardstock models of other rockets!]). 110 pound (199 grams per square meter) cardstock (available in A4 and 8.5" X 11" sheet sizes) works well for such models. If one wanted to depict Black Knight 15 (the round that carried a 36" copper sphere re-entry body, which looks more "Neo-Victorian"), a Ping Pong (table tennis) ball could be used to depict the re-entry body (copper colored Ping Pong balls are available here: http://pingpongballs.net/products/C...Pong-Balls.html ). As well: Before printing it on a computer printer, the downloadable cardstock Black Knight model could be re-scaled if necessary so that its diameter would match the diameter of the Ping Pong ball (40 mm, in the case of the above-linked copper colored balls). For additional realism (flight points!), the copper colored Ping Pong ball could be allowed to separate and fall separately from the parachute-recovered rocket body; in fact, the timed descents of rocket-lofted Ping Pong balls are used for altitude determination in educational model rocketry experiments--please see the last page of this issue of interspace... here: http://www.europerocketry.com/uploa...b8sriconcmsuoq1 . Below are seven links to scale data and historical information on the Black Knight vehicles: Black Knight history pages (they have links to photos and dimensioned drawings): www.spaceuk.org/bk/bk_pics/bk-pics.htm and www.spaceuk.org/bk/bk.htm Black Knight 15 with 36" copper sphere re-entry vehicle: www.spaceuk.org/bk/bk_pics/10.htm Black Knight article (it also contains links to more information): http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Knight_(rocket) [NOTE: If this direct link does not work, go to the main Wikipedia page www.wikipedia.org and type in "Black Knight"] Black Knight Astronautix.com article: www.astronautix.com/fam/blanight.htm Brief Black Knight article: www.britain-in-space.co.uk/1950/blackknight.html Various Black Knight images: http://www.google.com/search?q=Blac...biw=792&bih=377
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Black Shire--Draft horse in human form, model rocketeer, occasional mystic, and writer, see: http://www.lulu.com/content/paperba...an-form/8075185 http://www.lulu.com/product/cd/what...of-2%29/6122050 http://www.lulu.com/product/cd/what...of-2%29/6126511 All of my book proceeds go to the Northcote Heavy Horse Centre www.northcotehorses.com. NAR #54895 SR Last edited by blackshire : 09-18-2012 at 03:18 AM. |
#12
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Disarmament and safety of model rockets of ANY type are highly OVER emphazized and OVER rated as being neccessary. Throw it together, and let it rip. ANYTHING unrelated to the motor WORKING is an unneeded LUXURY.
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When in doubt, WHACK the GAS and DITCH the brake !!! Yes, there is such a thing as NORMAL, if you have to ask what is "NORMAL" , you probably aren't ! Failure may not be an OPTION, but it is ALWAYS a POSSIBILITY. ALL systems are GO for MAYHEM, CHAOS, TURMOIL, FIASCOS, and HAVOC ! |
#13
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That is hysterical!
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Layne Pemberton NAR# 83083 Mad Scientist, Minion and Owner PembertonTechnologies.com P.O. Box 250760 North Little Rock AR, 72225 L1 on Pem-Tech Space Ark at NSL2007 pem_tech (at) Yahoo (dot) com TRF (at) pembertontechnologies (dot) com |
#14
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"Steam Trek"
Quote:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PCUVT4bi4dU
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Jay Goemmer "Centuri Guy"/"Tau Zero" YORF Member 28 Semroc SAM #0029 NAR 86131 "I think about organizing things all the time. Never seems to happen. I find something that piques my interest and I'm off on a quest. Or a Centuri. " --Bill Eichelberger, 02/22/2022 “Centuri fret buzz in an updated form.” Bill “Wallyum” Eichelberger re: Estes Flutter-By 03 Sept 2014 |
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