New Composite Hydrogen Fuel Tank For RLVs Successfully Tested

spacedaily.com ^ | 28 Dec 03 | staff

[RightWhale]

New Composite Hydrogen Fuel Tank For RLVs Successfully Tested

Huntsville - Dec 22, 2003

A team of engineers from Northrop Grumman and NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center, Huntsville, Ala. Have demonstrated that a new, specially designed fuel tank made from composite materials can safely hold and contain liquid hydrogen under simulated launch conditions.

The tests were conducted Nov. 22 at the Marshall Center, as part of NASA's Next Generation Launch Technology (NGLT) program, an ongoing effort to develop and mature technologies required for a next generation reusable launch vehicle.

Liquid hydrogen is an essential but highly volatile fuel used in the combustion process that propels rockets. It must be stored and used at -423 degrees Fahrenheit, a temperature that causes most materials to become quite brittle. Liquid hydrogen also has an extremely fine molecular structure, which allows it to seep through the tiniest of holes.

"This test represents a significant step forward in reducing the risks associated with using composite tanks to store cryogenic fuels," said Joan Funk, NASA's NGLT cryogenic tanks project leader.

"Composite tanks offer a 10 to 25 percent reduction in weight over current aluminum tanks, so their use would allow us to consider larger payloads. They could also help us reduce costs associated with acquiring and operating a reusable launch vehicle."

. . .

[RightWhale]

The original program was allowed to die without comment, without notice. It just gradually faded away once the problem with the tank emerged. The motor was successful.

[farmfriend]

space ping.

[TheErnFormerlyKnownAsBig]

Mabye this is why Weasley Clark is so sure we will be able to eventually do time travel?

[RightWhale]

Why? Because a program that was given up for lost several years ago may be coming back to life like Clark's career?

[StatesEnemy]

We should shelf the Space Program, and start focusing upon the other end of the "last frontier"... nanotechnology.

That is the new "space race" between superpowers (US vs China?)

[StatesEnemy]

Manmade levers and pistons and screws are yet to be discovered on the molecular level - and those lil suckers are gonna solve a whole slew of problems.

[StatesEnemy]

Please replace discovered with invented in the previous post.

[TheErnFormerlyKnownAsBig]

Clark read "What Color is Your Parachute" and said "I'm qualified to be a muppet, a puppet on Mr. Rodgers or a sock puppet for the Clintons.

[RightWhale]

Manmade levers and pistons and screws are yet to be discovered on the molecular level

The Second Law of Thermodynamics seems to be totally stochastic on the nano scale. The machines will run backwards as often as forwards.

[RightWhale]

If he's a Clinton sock puppet, he's a nano levers and pistons and screws sock puppet with series gravitas holes in toes and heels. Too far gone to be knitted.

[demlosers]

The original program was allowed to die without comment, without notice. It just gradually faded away once the problem with the tank emerged. The motor was successful.

Hey, I noticed when the initial composite fuel tank failed. :-)
What's the name of the motor -- is the engine named 'Airospike'(sp) or something like that?