Page 47 - Life beyond the Karman

Body The intense competition between the US and USSR to
The rocket’s casing acts as a shield, keeping the crucial components of the engine, fuel, and oxidizer safe. Propellants are formed by the mixture of the fuel and oxidizer, with the latter acting as a catalyst for fuel combustion.
The propellants make up around 90% of the weight of a typical rocket. About 6% of the rocket’s weight is its body, engine, and fins and the other 4% is the payload, which might be people, satellites, additional equipment, or supplies.
Fins
The fins, which are attached to the lower part of the rocket body, keep the rocket stable during the first part of the flight through the atmosphere. They counteract aerodynamics, and engine thrust, keeping the centre of gravity above the centre of pressure. Without the fins, the rocket would become unstable and lose control shortly after take-off.
Materials
A rocket’s body needs to be made from strong yet lightweight materials. Duralumin, a blend of aluminium, copper, manganese, and magnesium, is generally used. Its durability and low weldability make it ideal for rocket construction, and its components are often connected through bolts or rivets.
advance in space technology in the 1960s and 1970s led to the development of a range of strong aluminium alloys with up to ten components. These alloys, including lithium-aluminium alloys, continue to be used to produce multi-stage rocket components.
Titanium and its alloys are also used to create impellors for rocket engines as they don’t corrode in an aeronautical setting, and are resistant to most oxidizing, neutralizing, and hindered- reducing conditions.
Despite these benefits, titanium and its alloys are heavier and more expensive than aluminium and steel alloys, which means that they are used in smaller amounts.
Payload System
A payload refers to the cargo a rocket is carrying. Rockets are designed to carry specific payloads depending on their mission. In the distant past, they were used to celebrate special events and loaded with fireworks. Sometimes they are used for more destructive purposes and equipped with highly explosive material.
Rockets have now been adapted for the launch of satellites with various functions such as communication, weather observation, espionage, and planetary exploration.
Guidance System
The guidance system of a rocket is critical in ensuring its flight path is properly directed. It maintains stability throughout the launch and enables control of its movements.
LIFE BEYOND THE KÁRMÁN LINE - OUTER SPACE
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