FIRST STEPS TOWARD SPACE - Smithsonian Institution Libraries

226 SMITHSONIAN ANNALS OF FLIGHT
dent and former assistant to Oberth and Nebel in
Berlin during 1928-29, had published in his book a
design sketch by Tsiolkovskiy and commented
about it:
Tsiolkovskiy's rocket engine consists of a spherical combustion
chamber and a conical nozzle . The cold propellants
enter the combustion chamber at opposite sides
at the top and, separated by a partition, flow from the inlet
into a platelet grid. Each propellant after passing through
its grid made of platelets inclined towards the center, mixes
with the other. An electric glow plug initiates ignition at the
grid until the latter starts glowing. The combustion chamber
is cooled by a fuel (hydrocarbon) and this in turn by
surrounding lox. 2 °
The new engine with regenerative cooling was to
have served as the propulsion system for a big
demonstration rocket to be launched during the
spring 1933 air show in Magdeburg. The rocket,
referred to in the literature as the Magdeburg
Startgerat, or 10-L Rocket, was a modest prototype
of a projected manned rocket 10 m in height, called
Piloten-Rakete (Piloted Rocket). The 10-L had been
built simultaneously with the construction of the
big test stand. After unsuccessful launch attempts
in Magdeburg, the 10-L was modified for launchings
from Lindwerder Island in Lake Tegel. Under
the name Vierstab-Repulsor (Four-Stick Thruster)
it made history. Details of its test launches, which
were carried out between June and September 1933,
with the propulsive energy provided by the combustion
of gasoline and oxygen, were recorded in the
following documents which belong to the few
records still existing today:
10-liter rocket (Magdeburger Startgerat)
Built by: Rudolf Nebel, Klaus Riedel, Hans Hueter, Kurt
Heinisch, and the mechanics Bermueller, Ehmeyer, and
Zoike.
Date: 1933 (January-April).
Purpose: Rocket built for demonstration at air show in
Magdeburg.
Coordinator: Mr. Mengering.
Ground tests: August 1932 to March 1933.
Launching rack: Vertical double rail, 12 m high.
Launch tests:
8 June 1933, 4 a.m.:
On the Mose estate near Magdeburg. Oxygen tank leaking;
experiment stopped.
11 June 1933, 11 a.m.:
On the Mose estate near Magdeburg. Oxygen valve fails;
experiment stopped.
13 June 1933, 6 p.m.:
On the Mose estate near Magdeburg. Oxygen valve fails;
experiment stopped.
29 June 1933, 6:45 p.m.:
Thrust 185 kg. Guide roll jams in rack and breaks;
rocket tilts. After reaching height of 30 m, rocket
falls back, burns out on the ground.
14 July 1933, 5:45 a.m.:
Lindwerder Island in Lake Tegel. Rocket reaches height
of 600 m, then makes 3 loops of about 30 m radius;
parachute opens shortly before impact on water; probably
failure of oxygen valve.
21 July 1933, 5:00 p.m.:
Lindwerder Island in Lake Tegel. Rocket reaches height
of 100 m; burns out on the water.
5 August 1933, 8:00 a.m.:
Launch from raft in-Lake Schwielow near Potsdam.
Valve fails; rocket reaches height of 60 m, then burns out
on the water.
11 August 1933, 12 noon:
Launch from raft in Lake Schwielow near Potsdam.
Valve fails; rocket reaches height of 80 m, falls into the
water with engine still burning; in spite of rescue efforts,
could not be found again.
1 September 1933, 3 p.m.:
Launch from raft in Lake Schwielow near Potsdam.
Rocket reaches height of 30 m, then starts to spin;
submerges in water, then reappears with engine still
burning, parachute opens too early and stops ascent.
9 September 1933.
Launch from raft in Lake Schwielow near Potsdam.
Pipe breaks and parachute burns.
General details:
Pressurization: oxygen by self-evaporation, gasoline and
nitrogen pressurant prior to lift-off.
Propellants: Liquid oxygen and gasoline.
Cooling: Forced fuel flow and excess 02.
Measurements (slightly different for all types):
Length: 280 cm.
Max. diameter: 75 cm.
Configuration: 4 tanks in square formation. Magdeburg type
with shroud (first launches without shroud). Lake
Schwielow type in longitudinal formation, length about
4.5 m.
Stabilizer fins: In most cases none.
Weight and other data (Approximations):
Engine: 3.5 kg.
Tank, structural elements and valves: 60.0 kg.
Air frame: 6.5 kg.
Payload: 0 kg.
Dry weight (without payload): 70.0 kg.
Volume: 1.0 m 8 per tank (Duralumin).
Combustion chamber: Duralumin and Pantal.
Tensile strength: 11-13 kg/mm 2 .
Specific weight: 2.7 g/cm 8 .
Elongation: 20 to 25%.
Combustion chamber: Bondur.
Tensile strength: 40 to 45 kg/mm 2 .
Elongation: 16 to 20%.
Length (total): 70 cm.
Length (Inside): 62 cm.
Configuration: Elongated ellipsoid.