Current trends in STORABLE PROPELLANTS

THE BASIC TREND in storable liquid propellants is directed toward combining high impulse with high-density impulse in low freezing systems. The authors believe that storable liquid propellants with at least 10% higher specific impulses and 20% higher density impulses will be available in the future.

Because at present no single oxidizer or fuel exists which combines all the desired attributes of an ideal propellant, the needs of each missile system must be analyzed when choosing a fuel. For example, maximization of specific impulse is increasingly important as the missile range increases. On the other hand, density impulse and wide liquidus range are essential in short-range missiles geared to high mobility prior to launching.*