1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:02,000 I 2 00:00:24,800 --> 00:00:26,800 Yep 3 00:00:30,520 --> 00:00:32,520 All right, let's see it 4 00:00:33,840 --> 00:00:39,340 What tell me bears yep, it's a fan favorite. All right, let's do this thing 5 00:01:00,000 --> 00:01:02,000 I 6 00:01:10,880 --> 00:01:14,600 Hope you're feeling pretty smart Jamie why because in this final season episode 7 00:01:14,600 --> 00:01:17,620 We're gonna have to behave like actual rocket scientists 8 00:01:18,120 --> 00:01:25,280 Excellent. What do you got? Well as you know throughout the history of mythbusters our relationship to rocketry has been a little bit like a Clint Eastwood movie 9 00:01:25,320 --> 00:01:27,320 There's been some good 10 00:01:28,120 --> 00:01:33,560 There's been some bad and a whole lot of the ugly 11 00:01:35,400 --> 00:01:41,440 This episode we hope to put it all together for an awesome fan favorite myth about non-standard rocket fuels 12 00:01:41,480 --> 00:01:47,760 I'm gonna go out on a limb here and guess that it's gummy bears. It is Sherlock. You're absolutely right 13 00:01:47,760 --> 00:01:50,800 Well, they do have a lot of calorific energy right and if it's true 14 00:01:50,800 --> 00:01:55,060 Just imagine we could fly to the moon on a rocket tail of pure sugary goodness 15 00:01:55,500 --> 00:01:57,740 That I like I thought you would 16 00:02:02,340 --> 00:02:06,540 Rockets a crowning majestic technological achievement 17 00:02:09,620 --> 00:02:15,020 Their harnessed explosive energy is capable of taking us out of this world 18 00:02:19,940 --> 00:02:24,700 This potential has led the mythbusters to fire a fearsome variety of rocketry 19 00:02:25,900 --> 00:02:27,400 Whoa 20 00:02:27,400 --> 00:02:29,400 And they've learned a thing or two 21 00:02:31,620 --> 00:02:33,620 Rockets are bombs with wings 22 00:02:34,700 --> 00:02:36,700 Total explosion upon ignition 23 00:02:37,500 --> 00:02:41,860 And a successful launch generally requires real rocket fuel 24 00:02:44,380 --> 00:02:49,420 So to test this fan requested tall tail of gummy bear powered propulsion 25 00:02:49,900 --> 00:02:53,020 Let's get things rolling with our resident rocket scientist 26 00:02:53,980 --> 00:02:58,540 Since we will be building rockets all episode long we thought it was important to start by defining our terms 27 00:02:58,580 --> 00:03:04,380 This is not an unreasonable depiction of the kind of rocket will use fiberglass body about seven feet long 28 00:03:04,380 --> 00:03:11,380 But it's the inside that really sets it apart now the business end where the exhaust comes out is called the fuel grain and the fuel 29 00:03:11,380 --> 00:03:14,820 Grain of this rocket like our Civil War one is made of paraffin 30 00:03:14,820 --> 00:03:20,300 But it's what sprays into the fuel grain that makes this a hybrid rocket and that is this a 31 00:03:20,700 --> 00:03:23,380 Pressurized canister of liquid oxygen or locks 32 00:03:24,820 --> 00:03:32,980 Now when the locks is sprayed down through the paraffin and ignited it burns very fast and very hot and when it sprays out that nozzle 33 00:03:32,980 --> 00:03:36,100 It causes a reaction which sends this rocket into the sky 34 00:03:37,260 --> 00:03:44,500 The only difference between this hybrid rocket and the one we'll be making is that ours will be powered by delicious delicious candy 35 00:03:46,540 --> 00:03:48,540 I wouldn't taste powerful 36 00:03:48,660 --> 00:03:52,460 That's the hybrid hardware, but the fable is fuel focused 37 00:03:52,980 --> 00:03:57,940 So it's out with the standard paraffin wax and in with the edible alternative 38 00:03:59,940 --> 00:04:05,460 Question is how do they make a fuel grain out of gummy bears? So this is how this whole thing works 39 00:04:05,780 --> 00:04:08,060 This is the rocket engine liner now 40 00:04:08,060 --> 00:04:12,060 We're gonna fill this with gummy bears, but we're not gonna fill it solid 41 00:04:12,060 --> 00:04:17,700 We need to actually have a tube down the middle through which the liquid oxygen will flow so to create that 42 00:04:17,700 --> 00:04:23,260 I'm gonna insert this white plastic tube with a spacer disc so it's held in the middle 43 00:04:23,260 --> 00:04:26,500 We put the gummy bears in there and we're good to go 44 00:04:31,300 --> 00:04:33,300 Hello, oh hey 45 00:04:33,580 --> 00:04:35,580 Are we ready for this you got the mold? 46 00:04:36,180 --> 00:04:40,460 With the mold made the guys start by simply jamming the gummies in manually 47 00:04:40,700 --> 00:04:43,540 Although this won't be their only method of making the fuel grain 48 00:04:44,540 --> 00:04:50,180 Oh, I get close packing them in so tightly means there's more energy per cubic inch 49 00:04:50,780 --> 00:04:53,100 This episode sponsored by the American Dental Association 50 00:04:53,820 --> 00:04:58,060 But removing any air pockets is important too in our experience 51 00:04:58,580 --> 00:05:06,300 Airspaces in a rocket fuel grain are bad because there are places where the burning can propagate and create too much surface area 52 00:05:06,860 --> 00:05:08,740 Shove your candy in that hole 53 00:05:08,740 --> 00:05:14,660 Everything about a rocket burning is about controlling the burn and when you have too much surface area that burn can get out of control 54 00:05:14,660 --> 00:05:18,260 And really its failure mode is to blow up your rocket. That's bad 55 00:05:23,020 --> 00:05:24,660 All right 56 00:05:24,660 --> 00:05:30,900 That's one engine, but they've got two more in mind now Jamie and I are gonna cook two different fuel grains 57 00:05:30,900 --> 00:05:36,220 And here's where things start to get interesting in the Mythbusters rocket kitchen see a hybrid fuel grain works better 58 00:05:36,220 --> 00:05:42,660 The more consistent it is therefore our second rocket is going to be a contiguous single gummy rocket 59 00:05:42,660 --> 00:05:44,660 We're gonna gently heat up the gummy bears. Ooh 60 00:05:46,220 --> 00:05:49,500 As soon as that mass is melted we're gonna pour it into the mold 61 00:05:51,300 --> 00:06:00,100 Ah nice and voila what we should get out is a fuel grain sized single gummy nice control there Heinemann 62 00:06:02,900 --> 00:06:05,660 And Jamie comes from seven generations of candy makers 63 00:06:07,220 --> 00:06:09,220 So there's an engine 64 00:06:11,420 --> 00:06:17,940 Potential engine for the third fuel grain we're sticking to the spirit of the myth which is gummy bear rocket fuel 65 00:06:17,940 --> 00:06:20,780 But we're gonna cheat a little bit because of some basic chemistry 66 00:06:21,260 --> 00:06:27,900 These guys are mostly gelatin which is mostly water the last time I checked water doesn't burn very well 67 00:06:28,140 --> 00:06:34,740 So we're gonna boil as much water off as we can pour the syrup into a mold and let it set into a hard rock candy 68 00:06:35,300 --> 00:06:37,300 Now we wait 69 00:06:38,220 --> 00:06:44,300 But gently boiling the mixture at 250 degrees overnight has not given the guys the result they require 70 00:06:44,580 --> 00:06:48,920 This could not be farther away from hard candy 71 00:06:49,740 --> 00:06:52,700 but we called a candy expert and 72 00:06:53,020 --> 00:06:57,500 The trick is to get the candy between 300 and 310 degrees Fahrenheit 73 00:06:58,660 --> 00:07:02,220 Adam begins by testing the new technique in small scale and 74 00:07:02,940 --> 00:07:08,500 Things are getting a little more serious make no mistake. This candy is super dangerous 75 00:07:08,500 --> 00:07:11,580 It's a super heated syrup if it got on you 76 00:07:11,980 --> 00:07:15,020 Third-degree burns a trip to the hospital and a permanent scar 77 00:07:16,180 --> 00:07:22,980 305 okay excellent if it got on Jamie wouldn't be any problem. We just peel off the skin off of his exoskeleton and they repair it 78 00:07:26,900 --> 00:07:28,900 I'm good. I'm good. I'm totally good 79 00:07:32,540 --> 00:07:33,780 Wow 80 00:07:33,780 --> 00:07:38,540 Okay, I'm just gonna cool this down because I've got a compressed gas cylinder over there 81 00:07:41,860 --> 00:07:45,500 Take two. All right, welcome back to how to ruin kitchen equipment 82 00:07:46,860 --> 00:07:54,340 Now I'm about to heat up a bunch more candy using this big non glass container. I've learned from my mistakes 83 00:08:02,660 --> 00:08:03,860 Wow 84 00:08:03,860 --> 00:08:07,260 Boiling at the target temperature for an hour releases all of the water 85 00:08:08,700 --> 00:08:12,140 Just hold on to that while I pour and given the potential dangers 86 00:08:12,140 --> 00:08:15,900 The Heidemann steps in to help with the handling of the super heated syrup 87 00:08:17,020 --> 00:08:19,020 That's awesome 88 00:08:21,620 --> 00:08:24,700 Jamie I think this might be the worst mess I've ever made in your shop. I 89 00:08:26,020 --> 00:08:28,020 Don't know 90 00:08:28,100 --> 00:08:32,180 You'd have to think about it. I have to think about that. You've made some pretty significant messes 91 00:08:32,420 --> 00:08:34,420 But 92 00:08:41,380 --> 00:08:46,100 With no further mishaps or mess their work here is done. There we go 93 00:08:47,020 --> 00:08:49,300 Well, that was a lot more work than we anticipated 94 00:08:49,580 --> 00:08:53,780 But we finally have our three rocket grains. We've got the hand-packed gummies 95 00:08:53,780 --> 00:08:59,180 We got the contiguous single gummy and we've got the hard crack candy. That's all we can do here in the shop 96 00:08:59,180 --> 00:09:01,180 Now it's time to head out to the desert 97 00:09:03,100 --> 00:09:05,100 Now 98 00:09:17,460 --> 00:09:24,060 As anyone who makes gummy bear rockets will tell you actually it might be the first but as will tell you once you've completed your gummy bear 99 00:09:24,060 --> 00:09:29,200 Rocket, you're going to need a place to fire it and in the Mojave Desert at the edge of the Coen dry lake bed 100 00:09:29,200 --> 00:09:32,640 We are on the compound of the Friends of Amateur Rocketry 101 00:09:34,000 --> 00:09:39,240 This is it a little nowhere what makes this place so special is not only their 102 00:09:39,680 --> 00:09:45,600 Incredible expertise in rocketry, but it is on this exact location. We fired the Chinese rocket chair more than a decade ago 103 00:09:49,840 --> 00:09:57,340 And they hand built the rockets for our third and final attempt to fire a car across the desert the J-03 episode 104 00:10:00,200 --> 00:10:08,520 Welcome to the Mythbusters Mojave HQ the launch pad location for some spectacular final season rocket science research 105 00:10:09,320 --> 00:10:13,340 Can gummy bears really fuel a liquid oxygen hybrid rocket? 106 00:10:17,360 --> 00:10:20,200 Coming up it gets real 107 00:10:29,960 --> 00:10:31,960 Oh 108 00:10:40,160 --> 00:10:42,160 Majestic and magnificent 109 00:10:43,360 --> 00:10:46,280 Rockets are defined as a vehicle propelled by thrust 110 00:10:47,560 --> 00:10:49,560 From burning on board fuel 111 00:10:51,000 --> 00:10:56,720 Any fuel and the most unlikely of all the mythical gummy bear 112 00:10:56,840 --> 00:11:04,360 So we've got three different versions of our gummy bear rockets those are going to go into these four inch rocket casings 113 00:11:05,160 --> 00:11:11,800 Inside this is a tank of liquid oxygen a valve and the rocket engine with the gummy bears 114 00:11:11,800 --> 00:11:16,880 And then the rocket nozzle those are all the major components that go into a hybrid rocket 115 00:11:18,400 --> 00:11:23,340 Now if you remember it's a hybrid rocket because we're feeding liquid oxygen through our fuel grain 116 00:11:23,340 --> 00:11:30,020 And that's what this giant tank is full of liquid oxygen literally some of the scariest stuff on earth 117 00:11:30,140 --> 00:11:35,980 To say this is flammable is really it's not accurate because this is what makes things flammable 118 00:11:35,980 --> 00:11:40,100 It is the enabler for burning which is exactly what it's doing in our rockets 119 00:11:41,540 --> 00:11:47,500 With the locks and rocket casing ready to roll cue the first fuel hand-packed gummies 120 00:11:48,020 --> 00:11:53,860 And that pretty that is gorgeous. So the gummy bear fuel grain is going into its housing 121 00:11:54,420 --> 00:12:00,620 There are a lot of fiddly bits that all have to work perfectly in concert snap rings 122 00:12:00,620 --> 00:12:05,700 Oh rings rocket grants housing and everything and it all has to be properly assembled 123 00:12:06,620 --> 00:12:08,620 With the engine loaded and locked 124 00:12:09,220 --> 00:12:11,220 It's go time for launch 125 00:12:12,140 --> 00:12:14,140 This is the pre-launch setup 126 00:12:15,180 --> 00:12:17,180 We mount the rocket 127 00:12:18,500 --> 00:12:23,900 Insert the altimeter and the descent parachute into the nose cone and then erect guide rail 128 00:12:29,500 --> 00:12:32,060 After that we de-ass the area 129 00:12:35,260 --> 00:12:37,260 Here we go 130 00:12:37,340 --> 00:12:42,580 Because just as our bomb squad so the only ones qualified to do the final capping in of explosives our 131 00:12:42,740 --> 00:12:47,380 Rocket techs here are the only ones qualified to work with the super unstable liquid oxygen 132 00:12:47,500 --> 00:12:52,380 Once they have the locks in place they put in the ignition system and the countdown sequence begins 133 00:12:52,460 --> 00:12:57,580 It ends of course with me counting from five to zero and I hit the launch button the moment 134 00:12:57,580 --> 00:13:03,620 I do an igniter starts a little fire in the base of the rocket at the same time a valve opens up and liquid oxygen begins to 135 00:13:03,620 --> 00:13:09,100 Spray down the middle of the core of our fuel grain it is ignited by that flame and hopefully also in turn 136 00:13:09,220 --> 00:13:15,820 Ignites the fuel grain causing a chain reaction of explosive force that sends the rocket skyward system is armed 137 00:13:16,940 --> 00:13:22,900 Theoretically this is it will hand-packed gummy bears be a viable rocket fuel 138 00:13:40,060 --> 00:13:46,020 That's the sound of not working the sound of failure 139 00:13:49,700 --> 00:13:53,700 Well, we just fired our first gummy bear rocket and remember these were the gummy bears 140 00:13:53,700 --> 00:13:58,300 We're just jammed into a rocket grain shape with no other modification and 141 00:13:59,020 --> 00:14:04,020 We got a successful firing which is we heard it burn and shoot out some fire 142 00:14:04,020 --> 00:14:07,940 And then you started to hear the telltale sound of gummy bears individually 143 00:14:08,460 --> 00:14:10,460 peeling off from the rocket grain and 144 00:14:10,900 --> 00:14:16,140 Getting pooped out of the bottom of our rocket, but not with enough force to actually lift this rocket 145 00:14:16,140 --> 00:14:18,780 We didn't get any else. We didn't get one inch. Yeah 146 00:14:22,380 --> 00:14:30,180 The ignition flame appeared to light the locks. Oh nice you're eating it. I'd still sweet Wow 147 00:14:30,820 --> 00:14:34,300 But the loose pack flavorsome fuel simply fell apart 148 00:14:34,740 --> 00:14:36,740 You 149 00:14:37,580 --> 00:14:42,840 Gummy bear fuel number two this time we're using the melted gummy bears remember 150 00:14:42,840 --> 00:14:47,660 It's one solid contiguous gummy material molded into a tube shape 151 00:14:48,260 --> 00:14:51,340 I'm marginally more optimistic about this time. I 152 00:14:53,980 --> 00:14:56,900 Got a rocket in my pocket and I'm ready for some action 153 00:14:58,420 --> 00:15:03,780 I'm getting more and more excited the rocket grain is in there. I'm feeling very optimistic 154 00:15:05,300 --> 00:15:07,300 Oh and Sneezy 155 00:15:09,140 --> 00:15:11,140 There you go 156 00:15:11,740 --> 00:15:16,860 With the rocket ready for launch back at mission control it's countdown number two 157 00:15:17,300 --> 00:15:22,060 All right, here we go folks arming the system gummy bears are go 158 00:15:25,900 --> 00:15:30,740 Launching in three two one 159 00:15:30,740 --> 00:15:32,740 I 160 00:15:33,540 --> 00:15:37,820 See smoke that sounded good come on come on 161 00:15:39,660 --> 00:15:41,660 I hear it 162 00:15:41,660 --> 00:15:45,180 Sounds better than the last one. I am in no movement though 163 00:15:47,260 --> 00:15:49,260 No 164 00:15:51,580 --> 00:15:53,580 I'm sad 165 00:15:53,940 --> 00:16:03,300 From our bunker we push the ignition button and first we saw the igniter smoke and then as they released the liquid oxygen 166 00:16:03,660 --> 00:16:10,900 Into the chamber we heard this telltale sound that really typifies a hybrid rocket, which is kind of a 167 00:16:11,660 --> 00:16:13,660 And then there's this hum 168 00:16:15,380 --> 00:16:16,580 So 169 00:16:16,580 --> 00:16:21,420 That that right there tells you you're hearing hybrid rocket fire 170 00:16:22,420 --> 00:16:27,580 Unfortunately, it did not have enough thrust to lift this rocket even an inch on its stand 171 00:16:28,620 --> 00:16:30,300 Yeah, well 172 00:16:30,300 --> 00:16:32,300 science, baby 173 00:16:32,860 --> 00:16:37,060 Now gummy bears may work like rocket fuel when you put them in little kids 174 00:16:40,900 --> 00:16:44,780 But for us not so much and that's why for the next round 175 00:16:44,780 --> 00:16:51,060 We're gonna be using gummy bears that we've boiled down to remove all of the water leaving only the sugar 176 00:16:51,460 --> 00:16:53,900 And we're hoping that we'll get a better result out of that 177 00:16:55,460 --> 00:16:59,260 Optimism is high if gummy bears can possibly provide enough thrust 178 00:17:00,100 --> 00:17:06,460 This is the one right here then this concentrated candy. Oh, that's nice is their best chance 179 00:17:08,620 --> 00:17:10,460 Right 180 00:17:10,460 --> 00:17:11,540 if 181 00:17:11,540 --> 00:17:13,180 Anything's gonna work 182 00:17:13,180 --> 00:17:17,580 This is gonna because we know sugar burns and there's a lot of energy in it actually 183 00:17:18,180 --> 00:17:20,480 Yep one pound of sugar contains 184 00:17:21,420 --> 00:17:27,620 7700 kilojoules meaning this fuel grain with 12 pounds of concentrated candy has the potential 185 00:17:28,100 --> 00:17:34,780 To lift a 50 pound rocket several thousand feet into the air. All right, my hopes are all pinned 186 00:17:35,180 --> 00:17:37,620 On a large tube of hard candy 187 00:17:39,020 --> 00:17:43,680 But will it burn here we go and will it convert that energy to thrust 188 00:17:44,580 --> 00:17:46,580 launching and 189 00:17:46,580 --> 00:17:48,580 three 190 00:17:48,580 --> 00:17:50,580 two 191 00:17:50,860 --> 00:17:52,860 one 192 00:18:11,220 --> 00:18:13,220 A duck 193 00:18:13,620 --> 00:18:16,060 Houston we have all the problems 194 00:18:16,580 --> 00:18:27,780 over the years the myth busters have learned the hard way 195 00:18:30,540 --> 00:18:33,060 That failure is a valid result 196 00:18:36,100 --> 00:18:39,500 One ignition and with a lack of thrust 197 00:18:41,940 --> 00:18:44,740 Gummy bear rocket fuel is looking like a bust 198 00:18:46,580 --> 00:18:48,580 A doctor but 199 00:18:49,700 --> 00:18:55,060 You know us we're not gonna give up just yet. We're gonna fire the hard candy rocket one more time 200 00:18:56,260 --> 00:18:59,700 I'm gonna add a susan of shall we say 201 00:19:00,580 --> 00:19:02,580 Encouragement to help it go a little more vigorously 202 00:19:03,620 --> 00:19:08,420 What I'm doing is I put a spray adhesive down the throat of this and then pour gunpowder on it 203 00:19:08,420 --> 00:19:10,340 And it coats the inside of the rocket engine 204 00:19:10,340 --> 00:19:15,980 So when we stick the igniter in there the whole surface is ignited nicely. I should be good to go 205 00:19:17,460 --> 00:19:21,820 So with an even sprinkling of black powder in place to help initiate ignition 206 00:19:22,580 --> 00:19:26,260 The guys are shooting for one last shot at gummy glory 207 00:19:26,900 --> 00:19:32,940 So we've tried all our different versions of gummy bears and nothing has worked yet. This one right here 208 00:19:33,420 --> 00:19:38,140 Has got to work. It's now or never. All right, mr. Heineman. Are you ready? I'm ready. Here we go 209 00:19:38,420 --> 00:19:41,580 Here we are launching the hard candy rocket 210 00:19:42,220 --> 00:19:43,420 three 211 00:19:43,420 --> 00:19:44,700 two 212 00:19:44,700 --> 00:19:45,540 one 213 00:19:45,660 --> 00:19:47,660 Watch 214 00:19:47,660 --> 00:19:49,660 Come on, baby 215 00:19:50,500 --> 00:19:53,300 Come on! It's gotta go! 216 00:19:59,420 --> 00:20:03,580 It was the best-case candied scenario and there was no liftoff 217 00:20:04,300 --> 00:20:08,220 But has the myth been busted or the mythbusters methodology? 218 00:20:09,340 --> 00:20:10,540 What is wrong? 219 00:20:10,540 --> 00:20:20,140 The Heineman smells a hardware rat at this point. I'm becoming suspicious as to whether it's the fuels fault or is it say the 220 00:20:20,420 --> 00:20:23,660 Oxidizer or the general rocket system that is a fault here 221 00:20:23,860 --> 00:20:30,020 So this next attempt we're going to try and eliminate that as a concern and we're gonna use paraffin as the fuel 222 00:20:30,180 --> 00:20:34,380 Which we know is capable of making a rocket like this fly really far 223 00:20:34,900 --> 00:20:41,580 Yep by replacing the gummy bears with standard rocket fuel this control launch will test the hardware itself 224 00:20:43,220 --> 00:20:46,820 Packed with paraffin the rocket experts expect an altitude of 225 00:20:47,900 --> 00:20:52,380 20,000 feet. Anything less than that we're gonna have some problems to solve 226 00:20:54,500 --> 00:21:00,900 Okay, here we go launching in three two one 227 00:21:01,540 --> 00:21:03,860 That's it I see smoke 228 00:21:12,300 --> 00:21:20,340 That's clearly not the high altitude expected here comes it doesn't look like it went higher than about six or seven hundred feet 229 00:21:22,700 --> 00:21:25,220 It should have got at least 30 times higher 230 00:21:26,220 --> 00:21:33,520 After the failure of all of our gummy bear rockets we fired off this paraffin rocket as a test of our hardware and technology and it flew 231 00:21:35,060 --> 00:21:37,060 675 feet that is 232 00:21:37,900 --> 00:21:39,900 unremarkable 233 00:21:39,900 --> 00:21:45,340 That is a pretty clear marker that we need to review our hardware and our technology before proceeding 234 00:21:47,380 --> 00:21:53,260 Well the rockets just aren't working no and the gummy bear results have to be thrown out completely 235 00:21:53,300 --> 00:21:58,260 It's the tricky finicky business of these hybrid rockets is getting in the way of us getting any actual results 236 00:21:58,260 --> 00:22:00,260 I don't know what we're gonna do well 237 00:22:01,060 --> 00:22:05,340 Let's head back to the shop and regroup. All right. We'll have a total rethink about this. Yeah 238 00:22:06,580 --> 00:22:10,140 With the hardware fail all their results are redundant 239 00:22:10,420 --> 00:22:16,380 All they've proved so far is they're facing one of the most challenging experiments in myth busters history 240 00:22:17,180 --> 00:22:20,460 So it's back to the shop and square one 241 00:22:21,060 --> 00:22:25,460 So these are the parts we were trying to use in the desert. We've got your gummy bears here 242 00:22:25,460 --> 00:22:30,980 We've got your oxidizer pressurized tank here with the valves and the touch the ignition systems 243 00:22:30,980 --> 00:22:35,260 Look, I think we just bit off more than we can chew we are moving on instead 244 00:22:35,260 --> 00:22:37,260 We're gonna use a solid rocket motor like this 245 00:22:37,540 --> 00:22:44,500 It may not look like that much, but it's actually a very carefully prepared mixture of fuel oxidizer and a binder to hold it all together 246 00:22:45,220 --> 00:22:49,420 Now it's nice and simple because in theory all you do is light it and off it goes 247 00:22:49,500 --> 00:22:55,780 We're gonna make our own version of it using gummy bears as fuel along with same oxidizer and binder 248 00:22:56,620 --> 00:23:03,340 Solid rockets. They've ejected busters bond seed our Jato and fired the watcha 249 00:23:03,900 --> 00:23:10,100 They're simple and effective, but producing fuel grains like this is not only time-consuming and difficult 250 00:23:10,100 --> 00:23:13,620 But you need a special license which neither Jamie nor I possess 251 00:23:13,740 --> 00:23:18,900 So what we're going to do here is to turn these gummies into a powder. There we go 252 00:23:19,420 --> 00:23:24,120 And then send them off to a specialist who will produce for us fuel grains that look like this 253 00:23:24,860 --> 00:23:28,100 The specialist require the fuel as a fine dry powder 254 00:23:29,060 --> 00:23:31,060 three two one 255 00:23:33,340 --> 00:23:41,340 And to convert the gummies Adam has hit upon a technique that doesn't involve large quantities of lethal lava like serum 256 00:23:42,300 --> 00:23:43,500 Seems like it's working 257 00:23:43,700 --> 00:23:45,700 Exactly 258 00:23:46,060 --> 00:23:49,980 Okay, I'm gonna use a coffee grinder to make them even more powdery 259 00:23:52,420 --> 00:23:58,140 Dude look at that that is a super fine powder that used to be gummy bears 260 00:23:58,780 --> 00:24:00,780 That's exactly what our rocketeers want 261 00:24:02,460 --> 00:24:04,460 Time to make a whole bunch more 262 00:24:05,300 --> 00:24:11,500 While Adam ramps up production on his gummy bear crystal method Jamie is well being Jamie 263 00:24:12,280 --> 00:24:17,380 Look, I'm loving the technical challenge of making a gummy bear powered rocket and if it works cool 264 00:24:17,920 --> 00:24:22,500 But let's face it ultimately. There's no real practical application for it 265 00:24:22,620 --> 00:24:28,100 So I'm gonna make a second fuel powder one that could conceivably be useful. Oh 266 00:24:29,180 --> 00:24:31,180 God 267 00:24:31,900 --> 00:24:33,900 That's 268 00:24:33,900 --> 00:24:35,900 That's awful. I'm gonna use poop 269 00:24:36,900 --> 00:24:41,620 It's a pretty disgusting sequence up next so you might want to put down your snacks 270 00:24:42,620 --> 00:24:48,620 Yep, Jamie's moving on from the myth and is thinking ahead. He's looking into the future of space travel 271 00:24:49,140 --> 00:24:51,140 No, really? 272 00:24:51,180 --> 00:24:52,940 Man, that's nasty 273 00:24:52,940 --> 00:24:57,980 Add like Adam his first step is to turn his potential fuel into a dry powder 274 00:24:58,420 --> 00:25:04,140 First I'm gonna dry it out up here in the Sun, which has the added benefit of keeping the stink out at the shop 275 00:25:04,420 --> 00:25:09,740 They're already giving me nightmares and then I'm gonna grind it down into a fine dry powder 276 00:25:11,660 --> 00:25:17,900 Some sun-dried poop coming right up. I want them nice and dry and crispy. That's where I like 277 00:25:23,980 --> 00:25:29,420 Processing dog waste into powder is one thing but the big question is why look? 278 00:25:29,420 --> 00:25:33,340 I know it sounds kind of crazy, but crazy is kind of Jamie's MO 279 00:25:33,580 --> 00:25:36,500 I have no idea if this is gonna work or not, but 280 00:25:37,300 --> 00:25:41,420 Little soon find out whenever he can design a system that has no waste 281 00:25:41,820 --> 00:25:48,260 whatsoever where he's expended just enough energy to get the job done and no more he is the happiest 282 00:25:49,540 --> 00:25:55,700 Well, it's definitely breaking it up and where does that philosophy reach its zenith in space? 283 00:25:56,300 --> 00:26:01,340 Astronauts are already drinking their own urine. I mean after filtering with Jamie's plan 284 00:26:01,340 --> 00:26:06,300 They'd also be using their feces as rocket fuel. What could be more efficient? So 285 00:26:06,780 --> 00:26:09,620 While it sounds crazy, there might just be something to this 286 00:26:09,940 --> 00:26:12,740 It may have seemed like a gag to make you gag 287 00:26:13,420 --> 00:26:17,300 But typically by focusing on the details tell you one thing 288 00:26:18,700 --> 00:26:20,700 This rocket better work 289 00:26:20,780 --> 00:26:27,700 Jamie's actually thinking big so with the gummies and poop powderized. Yep. That's pretty well ground up 290 00:26:27,700 --> 00:26:29,700 It's packaged and sent off 291 00:26:31,340 --> 00:26:39,060 After the dangerous process of combining it into a solid motor is complete. It'll be back to the desert for a date with detonation 292 00:26:40,780 --> 00:26:45,380 Gummy bear rocket in three two one 293 00:27:02,340 --> 00:27:09,820 Welcome back to the Mojave Desert last time we were here we were testing rockets made of gummy bears and the results 294 00:27:10,260 --> 00:27:14,140 were spectacularly unspectacular round two 295 00:27:15,020 --> 00:27:17,020 We had rockets that did this 296 00:27:19,580 --> 00:27:21,580 And rockets that did this 297 00:27:23,180 --> 00:27:24,940 A duck 298 00:27:24,940 --> 00:27:26,940 Yeah, so we've changed our methodology 299 00:27:27,740 --> 00:27:34,620 Entirely we've gone from hybrid rockets to solid rocket motors and we've come back out to the site with a gummy bear rocket to test 300 00:27:34,620 --> 00:27:37,700 We've also come out with something I might call 301 00:27:38,300 --> 00:27:40,620 Heinemaniin or within or 302 00:27:42,180 --> 00:27:47,700 Mr. Heinemann has gotten a bee in his bonnet about making a rocket using poop and we are also going to test that 303 00:27:48,540 --> 00:27:54,620 Last time we saw the sweet and sour fuel. They were powderized and sent off to the rocket scientists 304 00:27:55,020 --> 00:28:01,420 And here is what they did with them. They turned them into two official rocket motors one made out of gummy bears 305 00:28:03,140 --> 00:28:05,140 One made out of poop 306 00:28:07,740 --> 00:28:09,740 Barely worse than the gummy bears 307 00:28:10,340 --> 00:28:14,860 Yep, they've been converted into solid rocket propellant. It looks like this 308 00:28:15,300 --> 00:28:21,900 Basically, it's composed of an oxidizer and the fuel which is held in place by a binder made up of a variety of rubber resins 309 00:28:21,900 --> 00:28:27,220 Now when that starts to burn all those expanding gases are forced out through the rocket nozzle that 310 00:28:27,580 --> 00:28:31,860 Accelerates those gases creating a lot of thrust and up the rocket goes 311 00:28:32,620 --> 00:28:41,740 In stark contrast to the hybrid system. It couldn't be simpler an electronic matches lit and in theory the gummy and poop based fuels 312 00:28:42,020 --> 00:28:44,020 Begin an explosive chain reaction 313 00:28:44,620 --> 00:28:48,500 Question is how will the mythical fuels performance be measured? 314 00:28:49,500 --> 00:28:56,140 It's almost time for launch now our first launch is surprisingly not going to be either a gummy bear rocket or a poop rocket 315 00:28:56,140 --> 00:29:01,580 It is in fact going to be a control launch of a best-case scenario rocket. Otherwise known as a 316 00:29:02,300 --> 00:29:08,020 Rocket big rocket coming through it has the ideal mixture of fuel binder and oxidizer 317 00:29:08,340 --> 00:29:16,260 Okay, and goes the engine with standard rocket propellant and it will give us the best case scenario of how high a 318 00:29:16,420 --> 00:29:22,180 Rocket can go of this size and weight. All right. Well, that's it. Let's put it on the rail. All right 319 00:29:34,140 --> 00:29:38,300 Now I know we've already spent a bunch of time explaining a difference between this rocket and its predecessors 320 00:29:38,300 --> 00:29:46,020 But you might not notice we've got three cameras attached to this rocket so that we can see the rocket's eye view of its own 321 00:29:46,020 --> 00:29:47,220 launch 322 00:29:47,220 --> 00:29:49,220 That's pretty cool 323 00:29:52,580 --> 00:29:56,380 Oh, yeah, I remember this part sucks 324 00:29:59,860 --> 00:30:01,860 There we go, she's up 325 00:30:02,300 --> 00:30:08,060 All right, you ready? I'm ready. Okay. Here we go. Bitbuster solid rocket motor control in 326 00:30:09,220 --> 00:30:12,180 three two one 327 00:30:16,020 --> 00:30:18,020 Oh 328 00:30:23,580 --> 00:30:25,580 We'd see a rocket fire eventually 329 00:30:31,540 --> 00:30:33,700 Little pop that was the pop of parachute 330 00:30:35,140 --> 00:30:38,900 Unlike the hybrid system the ignition and launch was successful 331 00:30:40,740 --> 00:30:44,700 And the rockets I view of the Mojave Desert spectacular 332 00:30:46,860 --> 00:30:50,340 However, oh and it's tripping 333 00:30:50,740 --> 00:30:59,420 It's true. It's tripping a lot proving once again that rocket science is well rocket science when conditions were less than ideal 334 00:31:02,100 --> 00:31:04,340 All right, let's go get our rocket 335 00:31:06,820 --> 00:31:12,140 During ascent the rocket was pushed significantly sideways. I might be wondering care for a little while 336 00:31:12,140 --> 00:31:14,140 But 337 00:31:14,660 --> 00:31:19,820 After a successful search and rescue they head back to base where they discover it reached 338 00:31:21,580 --> 00:31:26,140 4,133 feet but more detailed data reveals a potential problem 339 00:31:27,380 --> 00:31:28,580 So we had a good launch 340 00:31:28,580 --> 00:31:34,300 But the telemetry and GPS is telling us that we had a lot of lateral drift that may have compromised our data 341 00:31:34,780 --> 00:31:40,540 Because if that curve was straightened out it might have actually given us a higher altitude 342 00:31:41,100 --> 00:31:43,500 So we've got another one of these rockets 343 00:31:44,140 --> 00:31:47,500 Control test number two and we're gonna go again just to be sure 344 00:31:47,900 --> 00:31:53,180 Yep to ensure all the launches have equal conditions. They wait until the wind dies down 345 00:31:54,460 --> 00:31:59,340 All right, let's do this. You ready? Yeah, this is control number two 346 00:32:00,180 --> 00:32:03,620 firing in three two one 347 00:32:10,540 --> 00:32:12,540 Wow 348 00:32:16,540 --> 00:32:22,300 That one went straight up straight up almost straight down 349 00:32:24,780 --> 00:32:30,460 Do I think that one's gonna land like right here it was coming right down right on top of us 350 00:32:34,020 --> 00:32:39,060 Nice walking distance from bunker and telemetry says the distance this went to was 351 00:32:39,860 --> 00:32:46,820 4491 feet well that gives us our baseline time to fire up the gummy bear rocket. Let's do it 352 00:32:49,420 --> 00:32:57,140 Unaffected by wind control number two went almost 400 feet high and the benchmark for gummy bears has been established 353 00:33:02,220 --> 00:33:07,660 The rocket propellant we've been using is 77 percent ammonium perchlorate oxidizer and 354 00:33:08,180 --> 00:33:15,380 23 percent fuel mixed with a rubber binder now. We're replacing that fuel component with gummy bear powder 355 00:33:16,940 --> 00:33:18,940 In goes the gummy bear motor 356 00:33:19,420 --> 00:33:25,740 What we're looking to find out is how the gummy bear fuel component compares to the conventional fuel component 357 00:33:27,300 --> 00:33:29,300 Good to go 358 00:33:29,300 --> 00:33:39,060 It's been one of the most technically challenging experiments in myth busters history, but this is it a gummy bears are good to go 359 00:33:40,940 --> 00:33:45,220 You know Jamie not many people know this but gummy bears are actually the poop of baby unicorns 360 00:33:45,820 --> 00:33:50,500 Really? Yeah, no one's ever gotten close enough to figure out how their sphincter makes that bear shape, but 361 00:33:51,260 --> 00:33:53,260 In fact 362 00:33:54,900 --> 00:34:01,340 The key point of comparison for the energy and efficiency of the propellant will be the maximum altitude attained 363 00:34:02,260 --> 00:34:07,620 All right, so this is it you ready are you ready? I'm totally ready. Let's gummy the sky open 364 00:34:08,500 --> 00:34:12,700 Conventional propellant launch this eight-foot rocket with 50 pound payload to 365 00:34:14,100 --> 00:34:16,100 4491 feet 366 00:34:16,420 --> 00:34:18,420 How will the gummies go? 367 00:34:18,740 --> 00:34:23,380 Gummy bear rocket in three two one 368 00:34:25,540 --> 00:34:27,540 There goes you have ignition 369 00:34:34,260 --> 00:34:36,260 Way up there it did 370 00:34:36,260 --> 00:34:38,260 Ha ha ha 371 00:34:42,260 --> 00:34:44,580 Yep, they did give you something right there 372 00:34:45,380 --> 00:34:48,340 Boom, it's been a long and frustrating journey 373 00:34:49,020 --> 00:34:53,220 But that one successful launch has made it all worthwhile 374 00:34:54,260 --> 00:34:56,260 beeping is good 375 00:34:57,500 --> 00:35:02,020 Coming up the guys find out exactly how high the gummies flew 376 00:35:07,140 --> 00:35:15,300 In this final season number crunching countdown it's liftoff for an all-time fan favorite theme 377 00:35:17,940 --> 00:35:22,740 In over 14 years of myth busting rockets sure have racked up the stats 378 00:35:25,460 --> 00:35:27,460 There have been 379 00:35:27,460 --> 00:35:29,460 964 countdowns 380 00:35:30,500 --> 00:35:32,500 Jato was attempted four times 381 00:35:33,460 --> 00:35:36,740 The rocket sled successfully fired five times 382 00:35:42,340 --> 00:35:49,140 Then there were at least six of adam's gloriously insane liftoff vocal 383 00:36:03,300 --> 00:36:05,300 Go from 800 start 384 00:36:05,300 --> 00:36:07,300 two one 385 00:36:07,540 --> 00:36:10,900 Booster ignition and the final liftoff of discovery 386 00:36:11,620 --> 00:36:15,220 Rocket science is knife edge sensitive technology 387 00:36:15,540 --> 00:36:20,340 Harnessing an explosive chain reaction for propulsion as its pitfalls 388 00:36:21,860 --> 00:36:28,900 And not enough energy or poor design a duck means you don't get off the launch pad one 389 00:36:32,900 --> 00:36:39,540 But how did the gummy bears and their sinister black vapor trail perform boom 390 00:36:42,340 --> 00:36:45,380 After finding the landing site beeping is good 391 00:36:46,580 --> 00:36:48,580 That is beautiful 392 00:36:48,980 --> 00:36:50,980 It's the mythical moment of truth 393 00:36:52,660 --> 00:36:54,660 It flew it's true 394 00:36:56,180 --> 00:36:59,300 But how did it perform compared to real rocket fuel? 395 00:37:02,500 --> 00:37:07,140 So when you decode the altimeter it says that our gummy bear rocket got up to 396 00:37:08,420 --> 00:37:10,900 3,691 feet 397 00:37:10,900 --> 00:37:13,700 That's pretty respectable only respectable 398 00:37:14,180 --> 00:37:21,300 So gummies flew man. They did night and they shot into the sky flew almost 3700 feet into the air that was awesome 399 00:37:21,860 --> 00:37:26,020 What does it mean? Is it time to break out the champagne and call nasa about our new rocket fuel? 400 00:37:26,660 --> 00:37:29,780 Let's slow down just a little bit and take a look here's the thing 401 00:37:30,100 --> 00:37:36,980 The whole point of real rocketry is to maximize thrust and efficiency to get the largest possible payload as far from earth as possible 402 00:37:37,380 --> 00:37:44,900 So the discovery of a rocket fuel that is less efficient than the fuel we currently use is not really cause for celebration 403 00:37:44,900 --> 00:37:51,940 It's more a reason to celebrate rocketry's flexibility. Let's say I'm going to say this one is plausible 404 00:37:52,340 --> 00:37:59,540 Yep, the sweet mythical snacks carefully combined with a potent oxidizer and binder had enough energy for liftoff 405 00:37:59,780 --> 00:38:03,140 But in such a high performance technology 406 00:38:03,780 --> 00:38:07,460 82 percent is merely viable and barely successful 407 00:38:08,180 --> 00:38:11,940 Cue the high demand. Well, it was fun and it actually worked 408 00:38:13,860 --> 00:38:17,220 But let's face it. There's not really any practical reason to use it 409 00:38:18,340 --> 00:38:23,140 There is however another fuel that on the face of it might seem just as frivolous 410 00:38:23,780 --> 00:38:30,100 But in reality it might just have a practical use in future space travel 411 00:38:34,100 --> 00:38:36,660 All right, you might be forgiven for thinking jayme has lost his marbles 412 00:38:37,620 --> 00:38:44,580 Let me allow me to explain what makes a rocket fly what makes a good rocket fuel is a hydrocarbon because it burns well in the presence of oxygen 413 00:38:44,900 --> 00:38:47,460 and poop is a hydrocarbon 414 00:38:48,180 --> 00:38:51,700 Back in the shop jayme did some calorific testing of poop versus rocket fuel 415 00:38:53,060 --> 00:38:57,540 2,916 calories per gram even though it was several orders less efficient than rocket fuel 416 00:38:57,700 --> 00:38:59,700 It's a lot easier to find than gummy bears 417 00:38:59,860 --> 00:39:06,260 Up on the rocket. It's being made all the time and on a rocket where every gram counts in terms of the energy expenditure 418 00:39:06,580 --> 00:39:08,580 He might just be on to something 419 00:39:17,860 --> 00:39:23,860 So after all that nasty smelly disgusting 420 00:39:24,260 --> 00:39:30,980 Doggy doo doo we end up with this sleek carbon fiber beauty right here. And there we go. All right 421 00:39:32,340 --> 00:39:34,100 Ladies and gentlemen 422 00:39:34,100 --> 00:39:37,380 The first poo rocket coming out of midbusters 423 00:39:38,020 --> 00:39:40,500 It's time to pronounce my poop rocket prediction 424 00:39:40,820 --> 00:39:46,580 And I want to get this right because I don't want to poop the bed. I mean rocketry is something that we do do 425 00:39:47,140 --> 00:39:49,140 So I'm here to say that I think that 426 00:39:49,860 --> 00:39:51,860 While the poop may launch 427 00:39:52,180 --> 00:39:56,260 I don't think that our number two solution here will become our number one solution 428 00:39:59,220 --> 00:40:02,660 Mind if I set this one off not at all be my guest 429 00:40:03,380 --> 00:40:07,220 The standard rocket fuel control nearly hit 4500 feet 430 00:40:08,260 --> 00:40:11,460 How will jayme's no waste waste fuel compare? 431 00:40:12,740 --> 00:40:15,860 All right, this is it poop rocket the final 432 00:40:16,580 --> 00:40:19,460 Launch in five four 433 00:40:20,260 --> 00:40:21,540 three 434 00:40:21,540 --> 00:40:22,580 two 435 00:40:22,580 --> 00:40:24,580 one 436 00:40:38,580 --> 00:40:42,340 It's got a very appropriately dark smoke trail doesn't it? 437 00:40:42,340 --> 00:40:44,340 So 438 00:40:45,780 --> 00:40:53,540 Jamie that was really respectable. Yeah, that was fantastic 439 00:41:07,780 --> 00:41:09,780 Well done little poop rocket 440 00:41:10,260 --> 00:41:17,060 Okay, so the telemetry is telling me that we got 2900 feet. That's pretty respectable 441 00:41:17,460 --> 00:41:22,420 Respectable. It's downright phenomenal. I mean, I know it didn't go as high as the gummy bears 442 00:41:22,500 --> 00:41:25,540 But that was never the point. The fact is that it did launch 443 00:41:26,980 --> 00:41:29,460 Here's the thing you need to know about why poo is amazing 444 00:41:30,180 --> 00:41:33,380 It's always going to be there and it's totally useless 445 00:41:34,340 --> 00:41:40,740 If you're on a long space voyage every gram counts as far as your payload 446 00:41:40,740 --> 00:41:44,740 So you're gonna want to recycle as much as possible with something like urine 447 00:41:45,140 --> 00:41:48,740 It's not so hard. You can filter it and treat it and then drink it again 448 00:41:49,460 --> 00:41:54,180 But with poop it's not like you're gonna be able to process it and then re-consume it 449 00:41:54,500 --> 00:41:58,660 We have however shown that it might just be a viable rocket fuel 450 00:41:59,300 --> 00:42:01,300 Who knew 451 00:42:04,020 --> 00:42:10,260 You heard it here first nessa or maybe you already thought of it. Probably did a bunch of smart guys 452 00:42:11,380 --> 00:42:15,940 Now we gotta call this before we go gummy bears and poop as rocket fuel. How do we find? 453 00:42:16,180 --> 00:42:20,180 I think it's pretty clear. They're both plausible. I think they are. Let's get out of here