LOX isn't explosive. And LN2 is quite popular/widely used, and of arguably little danger.
What I'm not sure about is whether it's safe to get (small amounts of) LOX spilled on your hand (LN2 is safe, my hands still work and the teacher didn't complain in like 2012 (between 2008 and 2015, but I can't guarantee anything tighter)).
Yes, LOX is cold. So what? Just look at, say, [0] for information on what materials you can use for the LOX parts. Just use a simple pressurized tank configuration. Small amounts (sub-kg) of LOX only really restrict you from certain surfaces, such as asphalt, due to the risk of LOX spilling into the ground and turning it explosive.
Otherwise it's arguably safer than everything except maybe 30% peroxide/aluminium in a hybrid rocket.
The common steel canisters seem to weight 30g, full (including carton packaging), with 8g payload.
The vacuum ISP of a N2O monopropellant is given on Wikipedia as up to 180s, but the cartridge weight drops that to 48s.
One could be chilled with dry ice to a vapor pressure of 2bar, but it's still far from easy to handle when weight is a substantial issue and you want to dynamically control flow, I'd figure.
yeah Nitrous Oxide is the oxidizer of choice for hobbyists. It gets used in hybrid rockets and there is/was a couple companies making hybrid rockets available for sale.
Making a tank that's light enough to fly but does not turn into a pipe bomb is _one_ of the hard parts. Also, ignition is and fueling is difficult. iirc Tripoli requires remote fill on hybrid rockets and since a lot of these experimental engines are flown in the desert at FAR (https://friendsofamateurrocketry.org/) temp. becomes an issue.
people are doing it though, i mean it's really impressive to see how far amateurs can push things. We may see the first individual reach the Karman Line this September at BALLS if Covid19 doesn't get in the way. A couple of college teams have done it but not just a random guy. Granted, the guy I'm betting on is very well known in the hobby and not "random" at all.
Ya, well see what happens when you load it into a model rocket beside some kerosene. Then attach some electronics. Whether oxygen can technically burn or not is moot. There will be fire.
Except that a hybrid rocket engine burning something like e.g. PMMA is also easy to throttle, and doesn't blow up like a mixed mist cloud of keosene/LOX.
Also, fire != explosion. The former is only hot, the latter has a tendency to throw shrapnel.
What I'm not sure about is whether it's safe to get (small amounts of) LOX spilled on your hand (LN2 is safe, my hands still work and the teacher didn't complain in like 2012 (between 2008 and 2015, but I can't guarantee anything tighter)).
Yes, LOX is cold. So what? Just look at, say, [0] for information on what materials you can use for the LOX parts. Just use a simple pressurized tank configuration. Small amounts (sub-kg) of LOX only really restrict you from certain surfaces, such as asphalt, due to the risk of LOX spilling into the ground and turning it explosive.
Otherwise it's arguably safer than everything except maybe 30% peroxide/aluminium in a hybrid rocket.
[0]: https://ntrs.nasa.gov/archive/nasa/casi.ntrs.nasa.gov/197600...