everybody interested in why rocket engines have the amazing ability to turn thrust into fireworks when least expected should read this excellent book on rocket propellant history: http://library.sciencemadness.org/library/books/ignition.pdf. to spark your interest, foreword was written by isaac asimov.
This thread is pretty cold by now but I wanted to thank you for the link to Ignition — it's a really neat window into some of the chemistry and practice of 20th century rocketry. Reminded me of Max Gergel's "Excuse me sir, would you like to buy a kilo of isopropyl bromide?" http://library.sciencemadness.org/library/books/gergel_isopr... which, now that I look at the link, is hosted at the same server.
