2 HN users recommended this documentary2 months2017–2024score 2.5
Years with an HN recommendation, 2007–2026
Commenters share it as a favorite vintage NASA film with a sobering look at how dangerous hypergolic propellants are.
A 1966 NASA safety film teaching workers how to handle toxic rocket propellants such as hydrazine and nitrogen tetroxide. It explains the hazards of these corrosive, flammable and toxic chemicals and what to do after contamination.
“provides an interesting discussion of the dangers of nitrogen tetroxide and hydrazine propellants.” (HN, 2023)
I'll recommend a couple of other channels: - Old Royal Navy instruction manuals and documentaries: [link] My favorite is Hands To Flying Stations (1975): [link] - Historic films and clips, mostly focused on workplace safety: [link] My favorite is NASA's Toxic Propellant Hazards: [this video]
NASA has a vintage 1966 video "Toxic Propellant Hazards in Rocketry" that provides an interesting discussion of the dangers of nitrogen tetroxide and hydrazine propellants. It includes people mixing them together in the desert, along with a dramatization of how to deal with a nitrogen tetroxide leak. [this video]
Vintage NASA film on nitrogen tetroxide and hydrazine dangers
It's also about the time that High Fructose Corn Syrup started to be shipped in bulk. HFCS-55 in particular became the dominant sweetener in soda sometime during the late 1970s. The late 70s was also the introduction of video games and home computers. A general explosion of electronic devices has permeated almost everywhere. Unleaded gas was introduced in 1974. What replaced lead as the antiknock agent? The space race? Here's a 1966 video by NASA on toxic propellants. [this video]
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