Login
Forgot Password?

OR

Login with Google Login with Twitter Login with Facebook
  • Join
  • Profiles
  • Groups
  • SuicideGirls
  • Photos
  • Videos
  • Shop
Vital Stats

plonk

the most pretentious town on earth

Member Since 2003

Followers 14 Following 8

  • Everything
  • Photos
  • Video
  • Blogs
  • Groups
  • From Others

Tuesday Feb 25, 2003

Feb 24, 2003
0
  • Facebook
  • Tweet
  • Email
So I'm a rocket geek. Just like it says under occupation. This is not (yet) a job, just a really expensive hobby. And for the most part it's really, really cool. I've met some of the most interesting people I have ever known through it. You can meet the group I work with at http://www.erps.org. Look at the mailing list archive for the latest news, since we'd rather build rockets than websites.

But like anything worth doing, it's hard. And there is lots and lots of scutwork. In particular, I am a member of the propellant team. Since we're a liquid rocket organization, this means I get to work with fun chemicals, like hydrogen peroxide. This is not your hairdresser's hydrogen peroxide. This is the rocket grade stuff... it behaves like water... except that it starts fires... remarkably quickly. And even otherwise undetectable amounts give you little white burns on your skin.

Since it's so remarkably dangerous, it's a bit hard to lay hands on. So I'm working on a system to make the rocket grade stuff from slightly less dangerous stock. The rig I am working on is called a sparger. If you want to know what this means, email me and I'll tell you more than you ever wanted to know.

We made a sparger. However, it has to be cleaned in order to be suitable for use with peroxide, as peroxide reacts, generally violently, with almost everything, especially the sort of things that are in dirt and grease. After soaking it in nitric acid solution for several days, an unbelievable amount of crap came off. So I'm taking it on Wedneday to be bead blasted clean. And then we get to repeat the bit with the acid. And then we pour peroxide in to figure out whether that did any good. If not, lather, rinse, repeat.

And then, we get to find out whether my design worked. Sometimes I wish I had normal geek/gearhead hobbies... and realize that my life wouldn't be nearly as much fun that way. Being a freak among freaks is cool smile.
mara1:
You can use blondes to fuel spaceships!
Feb 24, 2003

More Blogs

  • 01.22.04
    7

    Thursday Jan 22, 2004

    Cry Havoc, and unleash the nematodes of WAR!
  • 10.31.03
    8

    Friday Oct 31, 2003

    I spent my Samhain doing something frightening, but not at all pagan.…
  • 08.10.03
    3

    Monday Aug 11, 2003

    Well, the boat delivery turned into a shakedown cruise. Rough stuff -…
  • 07.17.03
    1

    Friday Jul 18, 2003

    Well, all packed to scoot my butt east for Starwood. One huge duffle,…
  • 06.23.03
    0

    Monday Jun 23, 2003

    I am going to spend August helping an old friend deliver a boat he ju…
  • 06.21.03
    0

    Saturday Jun 21, 2003

    As of Thursday, I am completely moved into my new place in SF... that…
  • 06.04.03
    2

    Thursday Jun 05, 2003

    Well, it looks like I am moving in to San Francisco proper. My new pl…
  • 05.12.03
    3

    Monday May 12, 2003

    This is depressing. My book collection doesn't even fill half of a 5x…
  • 05.07.03
    0

    Wednesday May 07, 2003

    I got an offer on my house today.
  • 05.03.03
    2

    Saturday May 03, 2003

    Today, I actually got something done. I finally finished the peroxide…

We at SuicideGirls have been celebrating alternative pin-up girls for:

23
years
10
months
1
day
  • 5,509,826 fans
  • 41,393 fans
  • 10,327,617 followers
  • 4,596 SuicideGirls
  • 1,119,978 followers
  • 14,934,393 photos
  • 321,315 followers
  • 61,427,284 comments
  • Join
  • Profiles
  • Groups
  • Photos
  • Videos
  • Shop
  • Help
  • About
  • Press
  • LIVE

Legal/Tos | DMCA | Privacy Policy | 18 U.S.C. 2257 Record-Keeping Requirements Compliance Statement | Contact Us | Vendo Payment Support
©SuicideGirls 2001-2025

Press enter to search
Fast Hi-res

Click here to join & see it all...

Crop your photo