Skip to content
79,433 pages · 13,741 images · since 1994 Browse A–Z Today in space history
Encyclopedia Astronautica The full story of spaceflight
Encyclopedia entry

Lox/Beryllium+Pentaborane in Hydrazine 30%/70%

Original archive entry. The text, images and links below are kept as they were written.

Lox/Beryllium+Pentaborane in Hydrazine 30%/70% propellant. The concept of using beryllium and pentaborane in fuels for both rockets and advanced aircraft (the American B-70 bomber, for example) was popular in the early 1960's. However while performance was improved by as much as 50%, the engine exhaust was toxic. No such engines ever reached production.

Propellant Formulation: LOX/Hydrazine. Optimum Oxidizer to Fuel Ratio: .9. Temperature of Combustion: 3,400 deg K. Ratio of Specific Heats: 1.25. Density: 1.07 g/cc. Characteristic velocity c: 1,910 m/s (6,260 ft/sec). Isp Shifting: 313 sec. Isp Frozen: 301 sec. Mol: 19.40 M (63.60 ft). Oxidizer Density: 1.140 g/cc. Oxidizer Freezing Point: -219 deg C. Oxidizer Boiling Point: -183 deg C. Fuel Density: 1.008 g/cc. Fuel Freezing Point: 2.00 deg C. Fuel Boiling Point: 113 deg C.

Subtopics

  • RD-550 Glushko exotic rocket engine. Experimental upper stage engine. Developed 1963-70. Propellants LOx/30% Beryllium+Pentaborane in 70% Hydrazine.
Engines
RD-550