| MAIN PROPULSION COMPONENTS | ||
The oxidizer provides oxygen for burning the liquid fuel during the combustion process. In solid-fueled rockets, the oxidizer is simply mixed in with the fuel during the manufacturing process. Liquid-fueled rockets, however, must keep their fuel and oxidizer in separate tanks. Because combustion chamber temperatures are very high, some type of cooling or protection must be provided for the chamber walls. In liquid propellant rockets, the fuel is used in a coolant system not found on their solid-fueled counterparts, further increasing weight and complexity. Extremely precise machinery is needed to keep both the coolant system properly functioning, and to provide the critical fuel-oxidizer mix at the proper ratio. The details of how to actually mix and burn the fuel and oxidizer are also very complex. |
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