Jet Pack History
Nov 22, 2004 19:22:49 GMT -5
Post by Lamron on Nov 22, 2004 19:22:49 GMT -5
We were talking about WWII game realism in another thread so I though it might be interesting to look at real jetpack technology. The first was patented in 1960, so we are only looking ahead 15 years. The Bell Rocket Belt is what the game's jetpacks are based on. I've taken the liberty of increasing the flight time to 60 seconds. Enjoy.
=============================================
The world got its first look at personal jetpacks in the 1960s when Wendell Moore, an engineer at Bell Aerospace, designed the Bell Rocket Belt. Partially, funded by the U.S. military, this was a small back-mounted pack that could thrust a person into the air for what amounted to a 20-second hop, instead of actual sustained flight. The rocket belt and its test pilot, Bill Suitor, became very famous in the late 1960s touring the world, and even made an appearance in a movie. When Moore died in 1969, Bell Aerospace scrapped plans for the personal rocket belt.
Photo courtesy U.S. Patent and Trademark Office
Wendell Moore filed a patent for this propulsion unit in June 1960. This illustration is from patent number 3,021,095.
Rocket packs contain three substances that make up a chemical reaction that produces thrust:
Hydrogen-peroxide propellant
High-pressure nitrogen gas
Samarium-nitrate-coated silver (which acts as a catalyst)
Two metal tanks mounted on the rocket pack are filled with a total of about 6 gallons (23 liters) of hydrogen-peroxide propellant. When the operator opens the throttle, the high-pressure nitrogen gas is released, forcing the hydrogen peroxide into a catalyst chamber. Once inside the catalyst chamber, the hydrogen peroxide reacts with the silver material, which turns the hydrogen peroxide into a high-pressure, superheated steam that measures 1,370 degrees Fahrenheit (743 degrees Celsius).
The steam shoots out through two bent tubes that run from the top of the tank down the side, just behind the operator's arms. The tubes are wrapped in insulation so that no heat is lost. Because of the heat, the operator must wear a heat-resistant suit to prevent burns. Water and vapor exiting from the two nozzles at the end of the exhaust tubes produce more than 300 pounds of thrust, which is more than enough to propel a person into the air for a short rocket flight.
In 1995, the technology used to build the Bell Rocket Belt was revived by a group of Texas engineers who designed a slightly enhanced version called the RB 2000 Rocket Belt. During the 35 years since the original Bell rocket belts flew, scientists and engineers have made: continuous improvements in the strength-to-weight of the old standby materials; all new super strong composite materials; and materials with ever higher temperature capabilities. These innovations enabled them to create a lighter belt that could in turn carry more propellant and still be reasonably comfortable for the pilot to carry on his back. The RB2000 will fly 50% longer than the 1960's technology belts. Pretty impressive - until you realize it just means you get to fly for a whole 30 seconds instead of a mere 20 seconds!
=============================================
The world got its first look at personal jetpacks in the 1960s when Wendell Moore, an engineer at Bell Aerospace, designed the Bell Rocket Belt. Partially, funded by the U.S. military, this was a small back-mounted pack that could thrust a person into the air for what amounted to a 20-second hop, instead of actual sustained flight. The rocket belt and its test pilot, Bill Suitor, became very famous in the late 1960s touring the world, and even made an appearance in a movie. When Moore died in 1969, Bell Aerospace scrapped plans for the personal rocket belt.
Photo courtesy U.S. Patent and Trademark Office
Wendell Moore filed a patent for this propulsion unit in June 1960. This illustration is from patent number 3,021,095.
Rocket packs contain three substances that make up a chemical reaction that produces thrust:
Hydrogen-peroxide propellant
High-pressure nitrogen gas
Samarium-nitrate-coated silver (which acts as a catalyst)
Two metal tanks mounted on the rocket pack are filled with a total of about 6 gallons (23 liters) of hydrogen-peroxide propellant. When the operator opens the throttle, the high-pressure nitrogen gas is released, forcing the hydrogen peroxide into a catalyst chamber. Once inside the catalyst chamber, the hydrogen peroxide reacts with the silver material, which turns the hydrogen peroxide into a high-pressure, superheated steam that measures 1,370 degrees Fahrenheit (743 degrees Celsius).
The steam shoots out through two bent tubes that run from the top of the tank down the side, just behind the operator's arms. The tubes are wrapped in insulation so that no heat is lost. Because of the heat, the operator must wear a heat-resistant suit to prevent burns. Water and vapor exiting from the two nozzles at the end of the exhaust tubes produce more than 300 pounds of thrust, which is more than enough to propel a person into the air for a short rocket flight.
In 1995, the technology used to build the Bell Rocket Belt was revived by a group of Texas engineers who designed a slightly enhanced version called the RB 2000 Rocket Belt. During the 35 years since the original Bell rocket belts flew, scientists and engineers have made: continuous improvements in the strength-to-weight of the old standby materials; all new super strong composite materials; and materials with ever higher temperature capabilities. These innovations enabled them to create a lighter belt that could in turn carry more propellant and still be reasonably comfortable for the pilot to carry on his back. The RB2000 will fly 50% longer than the 1960's technology belts. Pretty impressive - until you realize it just means you get to fly for a whole 30 seconds instead of a mere 20 seconds!
