The Hybrid rocket reference article from the English Wikipedia on 24-Apr-2004 (provided by Fixed Reference: snapshots of Wikipedia from wikipedia.org)

Hybrid rocket

A hybrid propulsion system is composed of solid fuel and liquid or gas oxidizer, typically. These systems are superior to [[solid rocket|solid propulsion systems]] in the respects of safety, throttling, restartability, stability, and environmental cleanliness. Hybrid systems are more complex than solids, though, and consequently typically heavier and more expensive.

Common oxidizers include gaseous or liquid oxygen, nitrous oxide, and hydrogen peroxide. Common solid fuels include paraffin and hydroxy terminated polybutadiene (HTPB).

Several universities have recently experimented with hybrid rockets. BYU, the University of Utah and Utah State University launched a student-designed rocket called Unity IV in 1995 which used the solid propellant HTPB with gaseous oxygen, and in 2003 launched a larger version using HTPB with nitrous oxide.

Portland State University also launched several hybrid rockets in the early 2000's.

See also: Spacecraft propulsion, rocketry

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