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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (Aug. 17, 1961)
Page 4 Co'Jiege Station, Texas Thursday, August 17, 1961 THE BATTALION Is Solid Or Liquid Rocket Fuel Rest? By JACK STILLMAN Associated Press HUNTSVILLE, Ala. — Which method of propelling a rocket is better, with liquid or solid fuel? Ask this question of an expert and he will tell you: It depends on what your rocket is supposed to do. Dr. Wernher von Braun, director of the Marshall Space Flight Cen ter, says the Russians use liquid propulsion in their biggest space mission s—including the recent man-in-space flights. The Saturn space booster, the 1 ^-million- pound thrust vehicle that is the free world’s largest. space vehicle, also uses a liquid system. But in space vehicles of the future, says von Braun, liquid and solid systems likely will be com bined, and some vehicles might use nuclear and electronic propul sion systems as well. “In my opinion, there will be in the foreseeable future important places in the science of rocketry for both liquid and solid boosters,” von Braun said. “Undoubtedly the future will see more and more a mixture of propellant in multi-stage rockets —liquid, solid, nuclear and electric. We are conducting research jn all of these areas and intend to use each to the maximum practicable extent.” The solid propellant rockets are descendants of ancient Chinese rockets. When Francis Scott Key wrote about the rockets’ red glare, he was writing about solid-fuel rockets. Rocket men refer to propellants as fuel is a general sense, since all chemical propellants are com posed of two constituents—a fuel and an oxidizer. Getting a giant booster off the ground without it blowing up is not like shooting a firecracker. One scientist said that should a rocket the size of the Saturn booster blow up, it would wreak untold havoc for many miles. Solid propellants, which look something like hard rubber, have built-in oxidizers and are ready to go at the touch of a spark. Those working on the Saturn sys tem frankly admit they would not relish working with such a booster filled with solid fuel. “If it went off accidentally, you wouldn’t have a chance,” said one. “But that goes for a liquid motor, too, although the chances of a liquid engine exploding are con siderably less.” The solid rocket comes already loaded, since the solid fuel first is liquified and then must be cooked to its hardened state. This must be done at the factory. Thrust Is a Factor The advantage of solid rockets for military use is obvious. They are ready to go at a moment’s notice. But solid propellants are unable to produce the thrust that liquid propellants produce. The power of a propellant is determined by its “specific impulse.” A pound of solid propellant would produce only about 75 or 80 per cent of the thrust obtained from the same amount of liquid propellant. The second major drawback is that the entire casing of a solid fuel rocket is subjected to the full pressure of the combustion cham ber. This is because the flame burns inside the entire length of the casing. There are several arguments in favor of Jiquid propellants. They give a higher thrust; they are safer; they are easier to control during flight, and they are easier to make. In a liquid propellant rocket, the fuel is stored in tanks at mod est pressure. Pumps force the fuel into the high pressure com bustion chamber of the rocket chamber shortly before firing. But liquid propellants have drawbacks, too. There are hun dreds of nozzles, valves, pumps, regulators and other parts neces sary to control the flow of the liquid. If they all work properly, that’s one thing. But when one goes wrong, chances of a failure are high. Looking To the Future A nuclear rocket would be simi lar to conventional chemical rock ets except that the fuel would be heated in a reactor rather than burned in the nozzle. This would mean a lighter rocket, since the fuel tanks or solid-fuel casings would not be needed. The nuclear rocket also would have a higher specific impulse. SPECIALS GOOD Thur. - Fri. - Sat. August 17-18-19 U-A - y • •*» fcv V . '! PEANUT BUTTER : 45c NABISCO GRAHAMS R H ;x or L ,33c PURE APPLE JELLY Kr :. ft ... f£25c DUNCAN HINES CAKE MIXES 3 P „ r $1.00 BEST MAID POLISH PICKLES Qt 29c Win: Electric Percolator 1st Prize | | Addtional Prizes 9 Baskets Of Groceries | | Open The Gladiola Safe In Our Store | liiiiiiiiiiiiitiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiM SANITARY ICE CREAM ’A,,. 79c KRAFT PURE PEACH PRESERVES 18 t;35c Sanitary ORANGE DRINK Vu.,3c 3 Lb. Can OMUf WITH $10.00 OR MORE PURCHASE (Excluding Cigarettes) ML&Ues FRYERS Whole Dressed 23c LETTUCE 2 Heads 25c AUGE’S BABY BEEF SPECIAL ROUND STEAK Lb .69 c SHOULDER ROAST s r re Lb .49c ROUND SHOULDER ROAST Ib .59c RIB CHOPS ,.,590 STEW MEAT L ,39c CELLO CARROTS . CELERY .... RUSSETT POTATOES . . 1 Bag 9c Large Stalk 13c . . 10-Lbs. 39c MAYROSE BACON Lb .59c. SWIFT S LAMB RIBS Lb I9e PATIO MEXICAN DINNER 39c . 6-Oz. Cans 5 For $1.00 Sunshine State ORANGE JUICE Underwood BARBECUED PORK RIBS . 14-Oz. Pkg. 98c MAIS SUPER MARKET ]| Uouolit^^EnioyTT^ imiBlWM FOOD STORES College Station Highway G and Sulphur Springs Road Quaniity Rights Reserved | Service to Remember” j I CHEER Reg. Size 25c COMET Reg. 2 For 25c By M AP N NEW Y( let Jo Ann. ion, a fa ■ed-haired ng away ;oward an Joan an< ate to war Jully—com Illy with ca Two hav ■esearch. or. Sometim [oAnne re; ier doctor lifficult t ame acrof leart surf mtific voh ^air book D. E. Cleveland . . . Past President’s Award Paper Wins First For Cleveland A paper, “Driver Tension and Rural Intersection Illumination” by Donald E. Cleveland has been selected as first choice in the com petition for the Past Presidents’ . Award of the Institute of Traffic J Engineers. Cleveland is assistant research engineer, highway design and traffic engineering section, Texas Transportation Institute, Texas A&M. He will present the paper at the 31st annual meeting of the Railroad^ Consent To Combine Tracks For Underpass The railroads through College Station have consented to combine their tracks for the building of the underpass at the junction of FM 60 and EM 2164. These plans will be sent to the Interstate Com merce Commission for approval. According to C. B. Thames, Dis trict high engineer, the project could be ready to contract in the spring of 1962. The city of College Station will furnish the right-of-way. The highway department will pay 80 per cent and the railroads 20 per cent of the remaining cost. Two years ago, the plan was to build an underpass for the two tracks. The addition of 51 feet, gained by using only the west track, will cause a revamping of the highway intersection plans. 'PsiittZed : BOSTON, LOS ANGELES LONDON Interesting * Accurate Complete International Hews Coverage The Christian Science Monitor One Norway St., Boston 15, Mass. Send your newspaper for the time checked. Enclosed find my check or money order. □ 1 year $22. □ 6 months $11 0 3 months $5.50 Name Address City Zone State Institute to be held August 24 in Washington, D.C. He is a graduate of Massachu setts Institute of Technology, BS degree in civil engineering, major in transportation engineering, 1949 and the master’s degree in civil engineering, Yale University, 1959. He is also the holder of a certificate in highway traffic studies, Bureau of Highway Traf fic, Yale University. Cleveland came to A&M in 1959. Prior to that he was research as sistant, Bureau of Highway Tjsf- fic, Yale University, 1950-51; en listed instructor, The Engineer School, Fort Belvoir, Va.,. 1951-52; traffic engineer (lieutenant), of fice chief of transportation, Wash ington, D. C., 1952-53; traffic en gineer and chief traffic engineer, Ramp Buildings, Corp., New York, 1954-56; research associate, Bo real of Highway Traffic, Yale University, 1956-59. He is a member of many scien tific and professional organiza tions and the author of numerous publications on traffic. Aggie Born Same Time, Same Place As His Father Were you born on the same date that your father was born? This is easy, according to Man uel Camacho, a 19-year-old A<0 student from Colombia, Manuel, and his father, Don Andres, weren’t only born on the same date, but they were born in the same room, in the same hos pital, and both were delivered h!' the same doctor. ' Both father anr son were bom in Cali, Colombia, on April 19, in room 319, General Hospital, aid in both occasions Dr. Mauricio Salas was the obstetrician. Says Manuel, “All I hope no* is that my son follows the exam ple set by his father and grand father.” Look your best at formal affairs Look your best on gala occa sions in formal clothes cleaned to perfection by us. Your “audience” will applaud! TrJ us soon. Campus Cleaners ST. M 7:30 & 0:1 A &M C 8180 A.M. 1:48 A.M. U:M A.M. BET 8:15 A.M 9:30 AJVf. 19:45 A.M. UNITAl <;00-6:30 8:00 P.M. Month—Pel 1888 for fu CRURCI OP LA 26th E 8:30 A.M. 10:00 A.M. 6:30 P.M, “Se*