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Not chemical FROM rocket fuel but "also used in rocket fuel". The fine article describes in some detail how it may have gotten in there. "May" only as apparentl

by creer 3y ago

Not chemical FROM rocket fuel but "also used in rocket fuel". The fine article describes in some detail how it may have gotten in there. "May" only as apparently the expert only spent so much time on the mad scientist machinery the company was using. Amazing story.

malfist 3y ago
Hydrazine isn't just a chemical FROM rocket fuel, it is rocket fuel itself. On of the most common monopropellants used in RCS thrusters
- perihelions 3y ago
  On that tangent, there's been a large amount of R&D into finding alternative monopropellants, because this one's so infamously hazardous to work with. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Green_Propellant_Infusion_Mission https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Green_Propellant_Infusion_Miss... - "When compared to the present high-thrust and high-performance industry standard for orbital maneuvering systems, which for decades, have exclusively been reliant upon toxic hydrazine based propellant formulations, the "greener" hydroxylammonium nitrate (HAN) monopropellant offers many advantages..." And: Starlink eschews chemical thrusters entirely, and only flies with electric Hall-effect thrusters (harmless krypton or argon gas). Might be an underappreciated engineering choice: no hazmats at integration should simplify a lot of things for them. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Starlink#Satellite_hardware https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Starlink#Satellite_hardware
  - heavenlyblue 3y ago
    Only simplifies things for them because there's regulation around these materials
    - wizzwizz4 3y ago
      Yes, and? There is regulation around these materials. That's what regulation is for: to make amoral corporations cause less collateral damage. (Decent regulation can even, I hear, allow moral corporations to not be competed out of existence.)
    - jamiek88 3y ago
      What a strange comment. What are you trying to say here?
- NotYourLawyer 3y ago
  Also one of the first hugely successful bipropellants. Tons of rockets have used IRFNA + UDMH.

by creer 3y ago

malfist 3y ago

Hydrazine isn't just a chemical FROM rocket fuel, it is rocket fuel itself. On of the most common monopropellants used in RCS thrusters

perihelions 3y ago
On that tangent, there's been a large amount of R&D into finding alternative monopropellants, because this one's so infamously hazardous to work with. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Green_Propellant_Infusion_Mission https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Green_Propellant_Infusion_Miss... - "When compared to the present high-thrust and high-performance industry standard for orbital maneuvering systems, which for decades, have exclusively been reliant upon toxic hydrazine based propellant formulations, the "greener" hydroxylammonium nitrate (HAN) monopropellant offers many advantages..." And: Starlink eschews chemical thrusters entirely, and only flies with electric Hall-effect thrusters (harmless krypton or argon gas). Might be an underappreciated engineering choice: no hazmats at integration should simplify a lot of things for them. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Starlink#Satellite_hardware https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Starlink#Satellite_hardware
- heavenlyblue 3y ago
  Only simplifies things for them because there's regulation around these materials
  - wizzwizz4 3y ago
    Yes, and? There is regulation around these materials. That's what regulation is for: to make amoral corporations cause less collateral damage. (Decent regulation can even, I hear, allow moral corporations to not be competed out of existence.)
  - jamiek88 3y ago
    What a strange comment. What are you trying to say here?
NotYourLawyer 3y ago
Also one of the first hugely successful bipropellants. Tons of rockets have used IRFNA + UDMH.