 In their own words: "Armadillo
Aerospace is a small research and development team working on computer-controlled
hydrogen peroxide rocket vehicles, with an eye towards X-Prize class vehicle
development in the coming years. The team currently consists of a bunch of
guys, a girl, and an armadillo named Widget. Our fearless leader,
John Carmack, will lead us to space and, well, outer space". The Armadillo
vehicle has a single stage and uses a "monopropellant" fuel, which is
90% hydrogen peroxide (remainder is water). The hydrogen peroxide breaks down to
superheated steam and oxygen in the presence of a catalyst. |
You wouldn't think
that such a system could give much thrust, but, apparently, it does, and
Armadillo Aerospace are not the only team to be using this fuel. They are
currently carrying out thrust tests on the rocket motors. Drop tests of the
parachute system have been carried out, and they are waiting to be granted a
licence to carry out their first actual flight tests. In recent months the
Armadillo team has carried out a number of hovering tests, originally tethered,
later without tether. Only modest heights above the ground have been attempted
so far.
Tests of a novel,
three-stage rocket motor, using hydrogen peroxide, catalytically decomposed to
oxygen and water, but with the addition of methanol are also planned.
Like Scaled composites, this project
has full funding from an interested millionaire.
Click the logo to go to
Armadillo Aerospace's website.

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