Rocket Bike Powered by Roofing Tar

by Paul Crowe - "The Kneeslider" on 1/26/2006

in Alternative thinking, Idle hands, Science frontiers, Workshop & Tools

Rocket BikeNow that we have guys building rockets like SpaceShipOne, everyone's getting into the rocket powered game. Tim Pickens happens to be a rocket designer with Orion Propulsion and he got the bug to strap on some thrust but all he had available was a bicycle, so he was off to the garage and wheeled out with this. Actually his first one was a little 35 pound thrust rocket which proved he could do it without getting killed so, like any true garage builder he added power. Next up was a 200 pound thrust rocket which gives 5 second 0-60 times. The rockets use roofing tar for fuel, go figure. Anyway, looking ahead, ... a 2000 pound thrust rocket in a pickup truck. Stay tuned.

Source: Popular Science

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