Jet pack

A rocket pack (also jet pack or rocket pack ) is a on the reaction principle (usually hot combustion gases) based, portable drive unit with which an individual can move freely in the air ( or in space ). The term jet pack is a derivation of the English word for Backpack ( Backpack ) in allusion to the support of the instrument.

• 2.1 Manned Maneuvering Unit (MMU )
• 2.2 Simplified Aid for EVA Rescue ( SAFER )
• 2.3 SPK ( sredstvo peredvizheniya kosmonavta )

Known copies

JetPack International

Since the company was founded JetPack International 2003 were completed over two thousand successful flights. There are currently three different models with a flight time of 33-43 seconds ( two hydrogen versions for display purposes ) and up to nine minutes offered (a version with turbines).

Bell Textron jet pack

Beginning of the 1960s developed the American Bell Textron for the U.S. Army, a jet pack, which was called Rocket Belt. This jet pack had a jet engine, working with superheated steam. A pressure cylinder containing nitrogen gas, was pressed with the highly concentrated hydrogen peroxide from two further cylinders, a catalyst; under strong heat development decomposed there, the hydrogen peroxide to a mixture of water vapor and oxygen at a temperature of about 740 ° C. This superheated steam was passed through two insulated curved lines to the nozzles, and there provided the recoil. To protect against scalding by hot steam exiting the pilot had to wear insulating clothing.

Such Rocket Belt was already used in the James Bond film Thunderball 1965. Just this jet pack in the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games in Los Angeles ( 1984) was demonstrated. It could carry large obstacles over nine meters, reaching a single person doing a speed 11-16 km / h However, his flight time was limited to 20 seconds. A later development in the years 1995-2000 could improve the flight time to no more than 30 seconds.

In addition to the extremely limited operating life this jet pack also any practical relevance due to the fact was denied that his pilot possessed a fault in the drive had no opportunity to control land ( parachutes are in the low altitudes that with such a jet pack be achieved useless). This poses a significant security risk and distinguishes the jet pack for airplanes and helicopters that are capable of still safely land even without own drive by gliding or autorotation.

Williams research

1970 Williams International of Bell Textron was awarded a license to manufacture the Rocket Belt and sell. Williams later developed an improved version, which is used as a turbine but not a rocket drive, in contrast to other copies. Characterized the duration of flight could be increased to about 30 seconds. However, development was not pursued because the device was less cost-effective than a helicopter and a skilled, specially trained pilots needed.

Jetlev

The Jetlev Jetpack is a jetpack, which produces a rebound with the help of water. For this purpose, the device pulls a boat behind him, which is connected by hose with him and constantly pumps water upwards. The Jetlev was invented in 2000 by Canadian Raymond Li and is commercially available as a single jetpack.

Space rocket backpacks

Manned Maneuvering Unit (MMU )

Its field of application is the space where it can operate from the space shuttle and an astronaut allowed to move independently of this limited extent.

The control moments generated by the MMU, nitrogen gas, which is under high pressure, exits through the nozzle (a total of twenty four nozzles, the MMU ).

Only an environment such as the universe in which the astronauts are weightless, enables effective use of this technique, because in this environment, eliminating the need to constantly apply thrust to provide lift. In general, therefore, the entire fuel for the actual control of the device available while under the influence of gravity is by far the largest part of the energy for the buoyancy must be expended.

MMU has been used since 1984 in three shuttle missions (STS -41 -B, STS- 41 and STS -51 -C -A).

Simplified Aid for EVA Rescue ( SAFER )

SAFER is a simplified form of the MMU unit. It is used as a rescue system for spacewalks on the Space Shuttle or the International Space Station, if should fail the safety line of the space traveler.

SPK ( sredstvo peredvizheniya kosmonavta )

The SPK was the Soviet counterpart to the MMU. It has been tested in free flight to the Mir space station.