rockets with throttles
 

Discovery wings told me tonight that the X15 had the first throttleable rocket engine. Didn`t the Me163 have one?

Me163 Komet: A Hellmuth Walter Kiel Kommandogesellschaft HWK 109-509 powerplant.

A bi-fuel liquid rocket engine, it had 5 throttle positions: Off, Idle, 1st, 2nd and 3rd stages. The thrust was controllable through a range of 20% (220lb)to 100% (3,307lb).

Fuel used was C-Stoff (57% methyl alcohol, 30% hydrazine hydrate, 13% water) and T-Stoff (80% hydrogen peroxide + 20% stabilisers).

The pilot sat in a frame consisting of T-Stoff tanks, one either side and one behind. Any leak would melt the pilot. The pilots were later equipped with a flying suit made out of Asbestos-Mipolamfibre which would not burst into flames. Unfortunately, it did not prevent the fuel from soaking through the seams and the fabric itself and the pilots burst into flames inside!

(Some known severe burns, no known fatalities (thanks to very efficient fire crews & hoses!)

[This message has been edited by ORAC (edited 09 March 2001).]