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Early Liquid and Gas Phase Hypergolic Reactions between Monomethylhydrazine and Nitrogen Tetroxide or Red Fuming Nitric Acid
Published in Combustion Science and Technology, 2019
Ariel T. Black, Michael P. Drolet, Timothée L. Pourpoint
Within the realm of rocket propellants, hypergolic propellants are fuel and oxidizer combinations that ignite spontaneously shortly after contact with one another, eliminating the need for an external ignition source. Capable of performing multiple thrust maneuvers and engine restarts, hypergolic propellant engines are extensively used in propulsion applications involving orbital maneuvering and attitude control. Unfortunately, the most commonly used hypergols are acutely toxic, carcinogenic, and difficult to handle, prompting investigations into less toxic, “green” hypergolic propellant alternatives (Pourpoint, 2007). While progress continues, no propellant combinations have yet been broadly adopted that result in comparable performance characteristics to traditional combinations comprising nitrogen tetroxide-based oxidizers and hydrazine-derived fuels.