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;es Rossy fIies his jet-powered winged suit o;er the AIps
in 2008.
Jet Pack Specs
Rocket belts run on hydrogen peroxide fuel, which is not explosive on its own. This makes rocket belts slightly safer
than jet packs. When the hydrogen peroxide is combined with pressurized liquid nitrogen and a silver catalyst, the
chemical reaction generates superheated steam that shoots out of twin rocket nozzles at 1,300 degrees Fahrenheit
(704.4 degrees Celsius). There's no flame, but it's still extremely dangerous. The result is 800 horsepower or about
300 pounds of thrust [source: CNN.com]. Hydrogen peroxide is a good, reliable fuel, and it's only by-product is water.
However, it's very expensive, costing about $250 per gallon (3.78-liters). Each flight uses almost all of the fuel in the
tank -- about seven gallons (26.5-liters) per flight.
The typical rocket belt weighs 125 pounds (56.7 kilograms) and the pilot has to weigh 175 pounds (79.4 kilograms) or
less, or the rockets won't provide enough lift. The right hand controls the throttle, while the left hand controls yaw,
which is side-to-side motion. Although rocket belts have short flight times, they can reach speeds up to 80 mph and
they accelerate incredibly quickly. Landing is accomplished by gradually easing up on the throttle.
Jet Packs For SaIe
A handful of companies currently offer jet packs for sale to the public. JetPack nternational (Jet P) is an American
company founded by Troy Widgery, creator of Go Fast energy drinks. Jet P took 50s-era rocket belt designs and
updated them with modern fuels and materials. These efforts reduced weight, improved thrust and increased flight
time to just over 30 seconds. n addition to public demonstrations, Jet P offers some of their rocket belts andjet packs
for sale. Their T-73 model is a true jet pack, with a claimed flight time of nine minutes and a sale price of $200,000.
They formerly offered a rocket belt for sale for $150,000.