Aerozine 50
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Aerozine 50 is a 50/50 mix of hydrazine and unsymmetrical dimethyl hydrazine (UDMH). It is used as a rocket fuel, typically with dinitrogen tetroxide as the oxidizer, with which it is hypergolic (ignites on contact). Aerozine 50 is more stable than hydrazine alone, but has a higher density and boiling point than UDMH alone.
This type of fuel is mainly used for interplanetary probes and spacecraft propulsion systems, because rockets and spacecraft using it can stay fueled indefinitely. This is not true with most rockets. In some cases, it is used in ground launched rockets, such as Titans.
History
Hydrazine was touted in the 1950's as a "wonder chemical". Not only did it make a good rocket fuel, there were indictions that it made a good fertilizer. Only a few problems with it: it's quite unstable-- the chemical plant for it had several very thick concrete walls separating the various stages of the process, in hopes that an explosion would only wreck part of the plant. And later on it was found to be carcinogenic.
External links
- Kennedy Space Center: Aerozine-50 specifications (http://propellants.ksc.nasa.gov/a50spec.htm)
- Encyclopedia Astronautica (http://www.astronautix.com/props/n2oine50.htm)Template:Rocket-stub