[119077] in Cypherpunks
Re: Thieves steal six ballistic missiles in Poland (fwd)
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (Steve Schear)
Thu Oct 14 12:24:40 1999
Message-Id: <4.1.19991014082209.04a81ed0@popserver.com21.com>
Message-Id: <4.1.19991014082209.04a81ed0@popserver.com21.com>
Date: Thu, 14 Oct 1999 08:43:23 -0700
To: Jim Choate <ravage@einstein.ssz.com>
From: Steve Schear <schear@lvcm.com>
Cc: cypherpunks@cyberpass.net
In-Reply-To: <199910140327.WAA27208@einstein.ssz.com>
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Reply-To: Steve Schear <schear@lvcm.com>
At 10:27 PM 10/13/99 -0500, you wrote:
>
>----- Forwarded message from Steve Schear -----
>
>Date: Wed, 13 Oct 1999 19:42:50 -0700
>From: Steve Schear <schear@lvcm.com>
>Subject: CDR: Re: Thieves steal six ballistic missiles in Poland
>
>For fuel zinc dust mixed with sulphur (mixed 2:1 by volume) is the safest
>to handle (it won't burn well at atmospheric pressures) and easily
>obtained. After afixing the bulkhead turn the rocket motor face down. Mix
>the propellent with a volatile liquid (like acetone) and mix slowly until
>its the consistency of a shake. Let stand for a few minutes to allow
>bubbles to escape. Pour the propellent slurry into the chamber till its
>close to the where the nozzel mounts. A massage vibrator attached to the
>chamber will help eliminate air bubbles. Allow to throughly dry undisturbed.
>
>----- End of forwarded message from Steve Schear -----
>
>This stuff is VERY DANGEROUS, it is so easy to kill oneself (e.g. forgeting
>to wipe the threads or seals with a cold moist rag). It is STRONGLY
>suggested that you pass this stuff right on by.
For a good performance solid motor Zn/S is about as safe as it gets. All
metal powers are explosive so care in grounding and handling are required.
Certainly safer than the perchlorates. My group built and tested over two
dozen motors from 24" to 60" in length and 2" to 8" in diameter.
>
>You can also use aluminum if you want a slower burn (and less thrust).
>Almost any metal dust (e.g. iron) can be used.
>
>Actualy the mix is very variable, 8 parts Zn to 1 part S as well as 1 Zn to
>3 S will work - The Army Artillery and Missile School at Ft. Sill says use
>2.04 Zn to 1 S by weight compressed at 161 lbs./ft^3, and you should use
simple
>alchohol instead of acetone.
We had better luck with acetone.
>The reason is to slurry the sulphur and provide a
>shock buffer.
Yes, and as means of more easily achieving a consistant density. Very
important to avoid radical changes in combustion pressures.
>Metal dust compounds can be quite shock sensitive so watch the
>vibrator suggestion, the fact that the chemical may be volatile is really
>beside the point so long as sulphur will dissolve easily in it.
As long as the dust issue is delt with, the mixture is a slurry when the
vibrator is used and there is adequate ventillation, it should be
relatively safe. Rocketry inherently does have some risks.
>
>Don't let it stand, as soon as it is mixed you want to pour it through a set
>of filters (cotton swabbing works wonderfuly).
Never found the need for the filtaration.
>
>As to drying, unless you pour it in stages you'll be letting it stand about
>a year to get the consistency homogenous. It is strongly suggested to pour
>it in stages. I personly like to rotate the tube longitudaly as small
>amounts are added and build up a coating from the outside in. Provides a
>very even burning rate.
Our motors reached virtually complete acetone evaporation in less than one
month. We assembled a few with wax paper liners and slid out the grains for
cross-section inspection.
>
>"Caramel Candy" is another good option (saltpeter and sugar). Mix and melt
>at 350F and be very(!) careful. Not only does it explode at approx. 600F
>but it is shock sensitive.
>
>An excellent reference is:
>
>Rocket Manual For Amaeteurs
>Capt. B.R. Brinley
>
>The copy I have is an original printed in 1960 at the behest of the US Army.
>The original price for the paperback was $0.75 and hardback was $6. You
>won't find them for that price today.
It had a yellow cover. He was from the Ft. Sill artillery school as I
remember. I've misplaced my copy over the years. I'm sure a .pdf version
would be highly appreciated on the net.
>
>For more modern references you can check out:
>
>Rocket Propulsion Elements
>G.P. Sutton
>~$100 US
>
>Space Propulsion Analysis and Design
>Humble, Henry, & Larson
>~$40 ppb, ~$60 hardcover
>
>Both can be purchased at,
>
>Rogers Aeroscience
>PO Box 10065
>Lancaster, CA
>93584-0065
>818-349-4825
>(no email that I could find)
>
>Both NAR and Tripoli, as well as a search at Google on experimental
>rocketry, will point you to many more references. MIT has a very nice
>webpage that is a copy of a venerable design doc that describes the
>steps for making liquid fuel motors.
>
>And people wonder why BATF is trying to outlaw amateur rocketry of all
>types...
>
>
> ____________________________________________________________________
>
> The best lack all conviction, while the worst are full
> of passionate intensity.
>
> W.B. Yeats
>
> The Armadillo Group ,::////;::-. James Choate
> Austin, Tx /:'///// ``::>/|/ ravage@ssz.com
> www.ssz.com .', |||| `/( e\ 512-451-7087
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