Photo by Greg Sorber
A blasted rocket
Martin Grogan, Oberlin graduate student, shows how the hybrid rocket he built for a special project in aerospace engineering ignites with plexiglass as a fuel. The rocket is much easier to control than with the current liquid fuel.
KU students react to volunteer army
By JEFF GOUDIE
Kansan Staff Writer
A recommendation by former Defense Secretary Thomas S. Gates to President Nixon that an all volunteer army be established has brought varied reaction from KU students.
The recommendation urges that the change begin next summer with only a standby draft law after 1971.
When asked about such a change, Russ Welch, Merriam junior, said: "It would be a black army fighting for a white America, and that would be bad."
Carlen Jupe, Ukiah, Calif. sophomore and ROTC member, responded by saying, "They'd have to raise the pay quite a lot. It brings to mind the question they could strike or if they would. As far as professionalism is concerned, it would have one bad consequence in that only a certain personality type would be attracted."
"But then some people would say that would be good in that that element would be out of the mainstream of society. But then you wouldn't be lousing up the emotions and viewpoints of the average guy being drafted."
A viewpoint from a practical standpoint was given by Jack McRoberts, Topeka junior. "It sounds great," he said, "but it's not very practical. The army would definitely have inadequate strength. But on the other hand, I don't like the present draft system either."
Viewing the financial aspect, Mike Sheppard, Smith Center junior, said, "There wouldn't be as many people, but the army could stand a cutback in personnel, generals have said this. Even if they had to pay the men more, they could operate it more cheaply."
An affirmative viewpoint was given by David Nye, Leawood senior. "I think it would be good to have one," he said. "The present draft is against the democratic ideal of our country. You will find it hard to find a military man above the rank of lieutenant who is not professional. The present draft takes away my freedom of choice. I think if there has to be a military conscription, it should be for everyone, at the age of 18, male or female."
Mar. 10
1970 KANSAN 5
The present draft law, unless extended by Congress, will expire June 30, 1971.
The all voluntary military is a complex issue with may implications. KU students will get a chance to vote pro or con on the issue in a referendum in the March 17 and 18 election.
A common plastic used for windows can also be used as a rocket fuel. Martin Grogan, Oberlin graduate student in aerospace engineering, has developed a hybrid rocket which burns plexiglass as fuel.
Grogan said the idea of a hybrid rocket, a rocket which uses liquid and solid material for fuel, is not new—the first recorded data about a hybrid rocket appeared in the early 1960's.
Rocket fueled by plastic
He said the hybrid rocket was behind in development in comparison with the all liquid or all solid fuel rockets.
Grogan's stationary rocket uses a plexiglass rod and oxygen as fuel. Since the plexiglass is translucent, the fuel glows with a brilliant flame, Grogan said on a real rocket the plexiglass would be enclosed in a metal cylinder, but it is more impressive to look at a clear rod when his rocket is firing.
There are hybrid rockets in use today, he said, Flygmotor of Sweden makes a sounding rocket which projects weather instru-
Blacks, theater struggle
Black theater in Brazil was once classed lower than prostitution as a form of entertainment, Abdias do Nascimento told an audience of 50 people Monday night. The black Brazilian spoke at a lecture given in connection with the "Arena Conta Zumbi," a play to be presented tonight by the Arena Theatre of Sao Paulo
Nascimento is the founder of the Black Theatre of Brazil. He spoke in the Kansas Union Big Eight Room on the subject of The Development of Black Theatre in Brazil.
Speaking in Portuguese, the short, bearded artist told of the slavery problem which had plagued blacks in Brazil since Portugal began colonizing South America. He said few persons knew the extent of racial discrimination in Brazil, where blacks account for 40 per cent of a population of 90 million.
"Blacks have been fighting slavery since they were first taken to Brazil." he said. "Colonies of runaway slaves existed from north to south during the 16th century."
He said Brazil has experienced violence over the racial issue in a society in which the ruling class refuses to recognize the presence of racial discrimination.
"Arena Conta Zumbi" is the story of Zumbi, a runaway slave. Nascimento said most original black plays written in Brazil depict the black man's struggle for freedom.
Nascimento spoke of his theater's struggle to establish itself in 1941. He said the Brazilian press campaigned against the theater, saying it was an afront to white society.
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"Black Experimental Theatre is in its infancy," the emotional director declared. "We are waiting for better times so the theater can mature."
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One of the important features of the hybrid rocket is its safety, Grogan said. He said there was less danger of accidental ignition, because the fuel and oxidizer were isolated. In a solid fuel rocket, the fuel and oxygen are together in the grain.
He also said that in a hybrid rocket the thrust, unlike a solid fuel rocket, could be varied. In a liquid fuel rocket the thrust can be varied but it has to be controlled by two fuel systems instead of one.
Grogan built the rocket system as a special project last semester. He is updating the instrumentation to record the rocket's efficiency.
In the near future, he said, the rocket would be used for a propulsion class. The class presently uses only a pulse jet and a piston engine for instruction purposes.
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