Bell Rocket Belt
[1] It was demonstrated in 1961 but 5 gallons of hydrogen peroxide fuel needed for 21 seconds of flight time did not impress the army.
As a result, the Army turned its attention to missile development, and the Rocket Belt project was discontinued.
One Bell Rocket Belt is on display at the Smithsonian Institution's National Air and Space Museum annex, the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center, located near Dulles Airport.
It also made an appearance in the Lost in Space television series as well as the 1976 CBS Saturday morning children's live action TV show Ark II.
The main problem was achieving stable and steady flight; for this, a reliable and convenient control system had to be developed.
The tester inclined the nozzles forward and backward, trying to reach stable hovering at a limited height.
Testing found the best arrangement for the jet nozzles relative to the center of gravity of both the pilot and pack that allowed for directional control.
The Bell company was awarded a contract to develop, flight test, and demonstrate a practical SRLD.
[citation needed] On 17 February 1961, the pack veered sharply, reaching the end of the safety tether, which then broke, causing Moore to fall approximately 2.5 meters, breaking his kneecap and rendering him unfit for further flights.
[citation needed] In subsequent flights Graham learned how to control the pack and perform more complex maneuvers: flying in a circle and turning on a spot.
[citation needed] On 8 June 1962, the pack was publicly demonstrated for the first time before several hundred officers at the Fort Eustis military base.
In the opinion of the military, the "Bell Rocket Belt" was more a spectacular toy than an effective means of transport.
Apart from the extremely limited working time, this rocket belt did not allow for a controlled landing should its drive fail, as it would operate at altitudes far too low for a parachute to function.
This represents a substantial safety risk and differentiates the rocket belt from airplanes and helicopters, which can land safely without power by gliding or autorotation.
The pilot inclines the handle forward or back and slants both nozzle tips at the same time to fly straight.
By the combination of different motions of lever handles the pilot can fly any way, even sideways, to turn, rotate on the spot, etc.
The pilot can control his rocket pack's flight differently, by changing the center of gravity of his body.
During servicing of the pack with compressed nitrogen the handle is held in the closed position with a shear pin for safety.
The pack's pilot wears protective overalls made of thermal resistant material, since the exhaust jet and the engine's pipes are very hot.
But in cold weather the water vapor, which is a large part of the steam-gas mixture, condenses soon after it leaves the nozzle, enveloping the pilot in a cloud of fog (for this reason, the very first tethered flights of the Bell Rocket Belt were carried out in a hangar).
The jet exhaust is also visible if the fuel is not decomposed completely in the gas generator, which can occur if the catalyst or the hydrogen peroxide is contaminated.
In 1992 a company was formed by Brad Barker (a former insurance salesman), Joe Wright (a Houston-based businessman), and Larry Stanley (an engineer and owner of an oil well), after inviting professional inventor Doug Malewicki, with the goal of developing a new version of the rocket pack.
The "RB 2000" essentially reimplemented Wendell Moore's design using light alloys (titanium, aluminium) and composite materials.
[3] The story is recounted in the book The Rocketbelt Caper: A True Tale of Invention, Obsession and Murder[4] by Paul Brown, and fictionalized in the 2008 movie Pretty Bird.
In 1993 a book was published by Derwin M. Beushausen entitled "Airwalker: A Date with Destiny", Rocketbelt History and Construction Plans.
