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> what you're watching in rocket disaster videos is multiple tonnes But this one hardly had multiple tonnes,hadn't it? It was a spent side booster, so the most

by ordu 3y ago

> what you're watching in rocket disaster videos is multiple tonnes But this one hardly had multiple tonnes,hadn't it? It was a spent side booster, so the most of the stuff had been burned before the separation, I think.

onetimeuse92304 3y ago
When you send a rocket to space, you want a margin for error. Usually this is couple percent for the first stage. Given that the total weight of fuel at launch in this thing is couple hundred tonnes then yes, the margin for error can be multiple tonnes, but we will not know because the exact value will depend on the particulars of this launch.
nimbius 3y ago
if its hypergolic fuel you can be almost certain it was less than a few hundred pounds. "tonnes" of hypergolic fuel would be enough to level the hillside and send the iphone through your cranium. most people cannot appreciate just how powerful hypergolic fuels really are. theres just no comparison, even when you see them IRL.
- perihelions 3y ago
  An example is the 2013 failure of a Proton-M at Baikonur, nearly full of propellant shortly after launch, carrying several hundred tons of hypergolics: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rfuXUr-_Rns https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rfuXUr-_Rns ("Proton M Rocket Explosion 02/07/2013") https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ycRVAcZC5R4 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ycRVAcZC5R4 ("More Videos Of The Russian Proton M Launch Failure And Explosion With Three GLONASS Satellites") (There's lots of different camera angles on YouTube; not sure which one to post).
- throwawaymaths 3y ago
  Uh for the long march 3b boosters udmh / n2o2 is the primary propellant. That entire booster was full of it, so yes, it's liable to be a tonne or so left over (full propellant mass in the stage is double digit tonnes) https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Long_March_3B https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Long_March_3B
goku12 3y ago
You don't need tonnes of it to be extremely toxic. The stench of it even from a properly burning engine is extremely nasty and sickening. I'm talking about the trace residue that you get from non-stoichiometric burning in the engine. Add to that all the excess added as guidance margin and whatever is trapped in the plumbings.
adastra22 3y ago
About 2% residuals is common in rocketry. This was probably 2-3 tonnes of propellant left int the tank when it impacted.

by ordu 3y ago

onetimeuse92304 3y ago

When you send a rocket to space, you want a margin for error. Usually this is couple percent for the first stage. Given that the total weight of fuel at launch in this thing is couple hundred tonnes then yes, the margin for error can be multiple tonnes, but we will not know because the exact value will depend on the particulars of this launch.

nimbius 3y ago

if its hypergolic fuel you can be almost certain it was less than a few hundred pounds. "tonnes" of hypergolic fuel would be enough to level the hillside and send the iphone through your cranium. most people cannot appreciate just how powerful hypergolic fuels really are. theres just no comparison, even when you see them IRL.

perihelions 3y ago
An example is the 2013 failure of a Proton-M at Baikonur, nearly full of propellant shortly after launch, carrying several hundred tons of hypergolics: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rfuXUr-_Rns https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rfuXUr-_Rns ("Proton M Rocket Explosion 02/07/2013") https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ycRVAcZC5R4 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ycRVAcZC5R4 ("More Videos Of The Russian Proton M Launch Failure And Explosion With Three GLONASS Satellites") (There's lots of different camera angles on YouTube; not sure which one to post).
throwawaymaths 3y ago
Uh for the long march 3b boosters udmh / n2o2 is the primary propellant. That entire booster was full of it, so yes, it's liable to be a tonne or so left over (full propellant mass in the stage is double digit tonnes) https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Long_March_3B https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Long_March_3B

goku12 3y ago

You don't need tonnes of it to be extremely toxic. The stench of it even from a properly burning engine is extremely nasty and sickening. I'm talking about the trace residue that you get from non-stoichiometric burning in the engine. Add to that all the excess added as guidance margin and whatever is trapped in the plumbings.

adastra22 3y ago

About 2% residuals is common in rocketry. This was probably 2-3 tonnes of propellant left int the tank when it impacted.