Rocket Holy Wars

[selenite0]

I'm tossing it in on a debate here. Some folks are utterly convinced that hydrogen is The One True Fuel for rockets and won't consider that it's more complicated than that. If specific impulse was so damn important the shuttle would burn hydrogen with fluorine.

Update: Further discussion with Rocketman showed that we actually do agree that "it depends on the situation" is the right answer. All is well.

Comments

[patgund.livejournal.com]

Curiously enough, my pet peeve when reading this was this comment:

SR-71s don't even bother to fill the tanks before take off, preferring to load the bulk of the fuel in mid air after each take off.

Actually, there's a reason why a SR-71 will refuel immediately after take-off. Namely because a blackbird leaks fuel like a sieve when cold and on the ground. It has to get up to flight temperature before the expanding metal seals the fuel tanks. Between the flight-line leakage and the afterburner-required take-offs, the blackbird really has no choice but to refuel ASAP after take-off.

[selenite.livejournal.com]

Pioneer had a better reason for taking off with empty tanks--it couldn't get off the ground fully loaded. For that matter, it couldn't fly level fully loaded--until the rocket ignited. ;-)

[tygerr.livejournal.com]

Hydrogen is enough of a bitch to work with already.

But *fluorine*? ICKY.

Yes, that's a technical term. :-)

[selenite.livejournal.com]

What's really icky is what you'd have to spray on the launch pad instead of water . . .

[(Anonymous)]

You should read what I have written before you misstate my positions.

Rocket Man

[selenite.livejournal.com]

I've replied to your further comments on your blog. Sorry for getting cranky.