> Well my thought was to fill the rocket nearly or completely with water,
put
> it on the launch pad, get a very long ways away..., and then electrically
> heat the water and launch.  So there are lots of possibilities for PICs to
> control heating, safeties, etc.

Heating water to make a "Steam" rocket is a well defined art. Performance is
not stunning compared to common chemical rocket alternatives but lots of
fun. Isps of over 100 are achievable AFAIR. As a comparison, Black Powder is
about Isp=80, Sugar & Pot Nitrate 120, Ammonium Nitrate etc 200 ish,
Ammonium Perchlorate & hydrocarbon & Al 250 ish (Space Shuttle solid rocket
boosters) , Liquid oxygen with various 3000 to 350, Loquid Hydrogen & Oxygen
up to around 450 ish at high pressures (Space Shuttle Main engine).

For air and water only filled rockets best fill is about 1/4 water at
typical pressures. A 1.5l pop bottle goes to 100 metres plus (small dot in
sky) at 130 psi. A fluorescent light protector with lots of experience goes
to 700to 800 feet and a 2 stage fluro design (3l booster plus tube) to about
1100 feet.

        RM

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