New methane/Lox engine tested - news to anyone? Important milestone?

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Frank Scrooby - 19 Apr 2006 09:24 GMT

Hi all

In case anyone missed this"

http://www.nasa.gov/centers/marshall/news/news/releases/2006/06-053.html

or

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2006/04/060418010238.htm

Is this old news, significant news, a milestone, promising?

AFAIK no one has operated a LV with methane/LOX before.

Methane is quite easy to keep liquid under relatively light pressure (or
cooling), and the techniques for handling LOX should BE well understood by
now.

Methane = smaller (and lighter) fuel tank and is easier to come by than
hydrogen.

Any other advantages?

Thanks for your time.

Regards
Frank Scrooby

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Rick Jones - 24 Apr 2006 18:13 GMT

> In case anyone missed this"

> http://www.nasa.gov/centers/marshall/news/news/releases/2006/06-053.html

> or

> http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2006/04/060418010238.htm

> Is this old news, significant news, a milestone, promising?

Not sure, but since the first URL has the phrase:

"believed to be longest in duration for such an engine developed and
hot-fire tested in the United States"

that suggests that at least one other group outside of the US has been
doing some stuff with LOX-Methane.

> AFAIK no one has operated a LV with methane/LOX before.

> Methane is quite easy to keep liquid under relatively light pressure
> (or cooling), and the techniques for handling LOX should BE well
> understood by now.

> Methane = smaller (and lighter) fuel tank and is easier to come by
> than hydrogen.

> Any other advantages?

Wasn't Rubin (Zubin?) et all suggesting Methane because one could
manufacture it on Mars?

rick jones

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Anvil* - 25 Apr 2006 18:03 GMT

I would say significant news and promising.
Pressure fed, Methane/LOX, throttle capability... all senior
technology.
103 seconds... RRS.org would know if they had a longer burn.
-----
The significant news and promising comes from getting back to
basics of engineering rather than the glamor of cutting edge
research. Both are important but one works to investigate and
publish information and the other works to get something built.

Pressure fed rockets and consideration of an Apollo like capsule
is the wind changing from research grants towards flight hardware.
Many post have echoed thes concepts for years here.
--

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Space Forum / Space Flight / April 2006

New methane/Lox engine tested - news to anyone? Important milestone?