Rocket propellant
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The term rocket propellant or rocket fuel refers to the reaction mass of a rocket. Rocket propellants refer to the chemical fuels used to propel chemical rockets via exothermic reduction-oxidation chemical reactions of the propellant used.
Types
- Solid propellant: Solid propellants come in two main types. "Composites" are composed mostly of a mixture of granules of solid oxidizer, such as ammonium nitrate, ammonium dinitramide, ammonium perchlorate or potassium nitrate in a polymer binding agent, with flakes or powders of energetic fuel compounds (examples: RDX, HMX)
- Liquid propellant: The main types of liquid propellants are storable propellants, which tend to be hypergolic and cryogenic propellants. Examples: Hydrazine and hydrogen peroxide for hypergolic propellants; Liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen for cryogenic propellants.
