Winner of the Luigi Napolitano Award (2006) from the International Academy of Astronautics This book presents the fascinating story of the events that paved the way to space. It introduces the reader to the history of early rocketry and the subsequent developments that led into the space age. People of various nations and from various lands contributed to the breakthrough to space, and the book takes the reader to faraway places on five continents. It also includes many quotes to give readers a flavor of how the participants viewed the developments. Most publications on the topic either target narrow aspects of rocket history or are popular books that scratch the surface, with minimal and sometimes inaccurate technical details. This book bridges the gap. It contains numerous technical details usually unavailable in popular publications. The details are not overbearing and anyone interested in rocketry and space exploration will navigate through the book without difficulty. There are 340 figures and photographs, many appearing for the first time.

Rocket Propulsion has come of age. Although its potentialities and capabilities in many areas have been recognized for centuries, it is only in recent years that scientists have had the materials and the manufacturing techniques at their command so they could control and direct the tremendous forces available. Space exploration and manned flights by astronauts have brought the science of rocketry to the attention of the general public. It has also stimulated the interest of students at all levels of advancement in the technical details of space flight. Rocket Propellant Technologies is written for serious students of astronautics. This volume reviews briefly the history of rocketry and the fundamental principles connected with rocket propulsion. Types of propellants, the chemical reactions involved, and the techniques used in manufacturing are explained. The merits of solid and liquid fuels are enumerated. Exotic propellants of the future are discussed, with reasons why their development is essential. Finally, the safety aspects of manufacturing and testing rocket propellants are given in detail. The Amateur Rocket Association under whose guidance this series has been prepared, serves as a focal point for many related activities, bringing new ideas to the attention of its members and offering suggestions for future lines of research.

The book follows a unified approach to present the basic principles of rocket propulsion in concise and lucid form. This textbook comprises of ten chapters ranging from brief introduction and elements of rocket propulsion, aerothermodynamics to solid, liquid and hybrid propellant rocket engines with chapter on electrical propulsion. Worked out examples are also provided at the end of chapter for understanding uncertainty analysis. This book is designed and developed as an introductory text on the fundamental aspects of rocket propulsion for both undergraduate and graduate students. It is also aimed towards practicing engineers in the field of space engineering. This comprehensive guide also provides adequate problems for audience to understand intricate aspects of rocket propulsion enabling them to design and develop rocket engines for peaceful purposes.

This study has two declared aims: it presents the theoretical basis for a provably ideal comparative process for relaxing flows (ICP) and jus tifies its application to jet and, in particular, rocket engines. This will be treated in two parts. Part I offers a status quo report on current calculation methods, and compiles and explains briefly the most important data on selected pro minent rocket engines. Starting from the phenomenology of the dynamical and physico-chemical conversion processes in the fuel-oxidizer fluid mixture and in the burned gases, the ideal thermodynamic comparative process is then derived - as a defined sequential change of states in the system. In order to render this comparative process readily under standable, it is first applied to an appropriate model gas using alge braic equations for all relevant parameters. This model gas undergoes energy conversion processes without forfeiting the simplicity of pre sentation typical of classical gas dynamics. Above all, examination of this model offers proof that it is generally impermissible to use, as is done in practice, the familiar isentropic equation for flow changes of state continuously propagated in flow tube theory. Elementary calculations immediately indicate essential attributes which are also typical for relaxing, multicomponent, one-phase systems, such as the significant 'pressure drop phenomenon' or the establishment of the steady mass flow rate as an 'eigenvalue' of the comparative pro cess. Their relevance to the RE theory is stressed.