Questions tagged [explosives]

Explosives are chemical substances that can produce large quantities of gaseous products and heat by decomposition in very short periods of time through detonation. Use [pyrotechnic fasteners] instead for devices that hold parts together, until their intended separation.

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Could we see the surface of Venus after the explosion of a H-bomb in its atmosphere?

The dense atmosphere of Venus is mainly composed of carbon dioxide and nitrogen, with clouds made of sulfuric acid droplets, which make optical observation of the surface impossible. As can be seen ...
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What limits burning speed of solid propellant?

SRBs and missiles use grain to regulate thrust over time, as only exposed surface of the propellant burns. But what causes propellant to burn only on the surface, and regulates the speed at which the ...
SF.'s user avatar
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Lunar excavation by blasting - would there be unique challenges, difficulties or safety issues?

This answer which mentions blasting on the moon for excavation got me thinking. There may be many ways that blasting could potentially be useful on the Moon. Excavation for habitats or other ...
uhoh's user avatar
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Are rocket self-destruct systems ever flight-tested/flight-proven?

Under the question SN11 was launched in fog. Why not wait for better conditions? I wrote the comment: armchair totally unsupported theory: the fog presented an opportunity to test the emergency self-...
uhoh's user avatar
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5 votes
2 answers
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How far did Hayabusa-2 back off before the "bomb" went off?

The BBC News article Hayabusa-2: Japanese probe set to 'bomb' an asteroid says: The charge is carried on the Small Carry-On Impactor (SCI) device. This is a 14kg conical container attached to ...
uhoh's user avatar
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Why did some Apollo missions carry a grenade launcher?

According to ALSEP Flight System Familiarization Manual, p. 2-166, some Apollo missions carried a grenade launcher and 4 grenades. What were these used for?
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Would Earth fireworks work on the Moon or on Mars?

Fireworks have had a very long history and have evolved into highly engineered devices with simultaneously excellent performance and reliability. Even small tweaks require research, testing, and are ...
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Could explosives replace drilling for science and construction in space?

Drilling seems to require heavy equipment, preferably with humans on site for maintenance, much energy and might be even more problematic in low gravity and unknown geology. Deepest hole drilled in ...
LocalFluff's user avatar
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Was Hayabusa-2's plastic explosive charge the largest charge detonated beyond LEO?

The BBC News article Hayabusa-2: Japanese probe set to 'bomb' an asteroid says: The charge is carried on the Small Carry-On Impactor (SCI) device. This is a 14kg conical container attached to ...
uhoh's user avatar
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Separation of the stages of Saturn V by pyrotechnics, what about electrical and mechanical connections?

We know that the stages of Saturn V were mounted to each other with explosive bolts. Separation was done by ignition of these pyrotechnics. But we also know the control computer of the Saturn V was ...
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Are conventional explosives viable for pulsed propulsion?

During the cold war we explored the use of nuclear weapons as a means of propulsion. Instead of trying it right away, we used conventional explosives to simulate them. Is it economically viable to use ...
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