After the motor detonations on test 17 and 18 we build a new MHD generator. This one was designed to handle larger rocket motors. We did the first test tonight. Test 19 went great. Lots of power and lots of data. However, (there’s always a however) when we disassembled the unit after the firing we found cracks all through the ceramic. We always expect to see a few little crack due to thermal shock. The unit’s core temperature goes from ambient to 2000 degrees F in about a second. This time the unit was ruined, cracks everywhere going clean through. We start building the next unit tomorrow, but this time out of porcelain.
