ALICE (propellant)

Alice (short for Aluminum -Ice ) is developed (USA), a rocket fuel, the researchers from Purdue University in West Lafayette, Indiana.

Purpose

The drive of rockets by water and aluminum is appropriate because of the strong presence of both raw materials not only on Earth but also on the moon, Mars and other celestial bodies in the solar system. The emissions are comparatively harmless. The risk of accidental explosion is low because the water is carried frozen.

Operation

Alice one gets, by mixing and freeze - aluminum particles of about 80 nanometers in diameter with water. The particles are much smaller than those used in the solid rocket boosters of the space shuttle and Ares missiles. Therefore, burn faster and allow better control of recoil. The underlying chemical reaction is

For a stoichiometric ratio equal weight proportions of aluminum and water are required.

Use

Currently, Alice is only used during test flights. The first launch of a rocket -powered Alice took place near Purdue University in August 2009. In this experiment, the following institutions were involved:

West Lafayette (Indiana) Aluminium Booster (rocketry)
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