T³ - Technion Technology Transfer

There are two practical options for rocket propellants: solid fuels or liquid fuels. Solid fuels don't allow for control over burning rates and burn until the fuel is exhausted eliminating the possibility for engine shutdowns and restarts. Cryogenic liquid fuels allow for much more control over flow rates and allow for engine restarts but cryogenic fuels are difficult to store for long periods of time and also require ignition systems. Hypergolic liquid fuels and oxidizers ignite spontaneously upon contact with each other allowing for all the benefits of a liquid-fuel system while eliminating the design complexity, weight and risk of failure associated with an ignition system. Unfortunately, hypergolic fuels are highly toxic posing a risk to workers and to the environment creating extra storage and handling costs.

http://t3.technion.ac.il/more_details.php?id=269

Muriel Touaty