• Question: How much oxygen, helium and hydrogen is there in rocket fuel?

    Asked by mattiosmmm to Adam, Geoff, Rob, Sheila, Suzie on 15 Mar 2011 in Categories: .
    • Photo: Sheila Kanani

      Sheila Kanani answered on 14 Mar 2011:

      It depends on what type of rocket fuel you mean, and whether you are asking about solid, liquid or gas propellants…. 🙂

    • Photo: Geoff McBride

      Geoff McBride answered on 14 Mar 2011:

      I don’t know this one I’d have to look it up. I like this company though

      http://www.starchaser.co.uk/

    • Photo: Adam Tuff

      Adam Tuff answered on 14 Mar 2011:

      Hmmm, tricky. I don’t think there is any helium in the mix, I think it’s hydrogen and oxygen (as they are combustable i.e. can be burned, helium isn’t). It’s usually used in a ratio of 6:1 hydrogen to oxygen, and is usually stored in liquid form as it takes up less space.

    • Photo: Robert Simpson

      Robert Simpson answered on 15 Mar 2011:

      I don’t know much about this I’m afraid. The Space Shuttle’s use liquid oxygen and liquid hydrogen as fuel.

    • Photo: Suzie Sheehy

      Suzie Sheehy answered on 15 Mar 2011:

      I know that you need a 2/3 to 1/3 hydrogen/oxygen mix to get the biggest explosion (though I might have the ratio the wrong way round) but that’s the extent of my knowledge on this one, sorry!

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