LOX
Science & Engineering abbreviation · Astronomy & Space
| Stands for | Liquid oxygen |
|---|---|
| Categories | Science & Engineering |
LOX stands for Liquid oxygen, an astronomy & Space abbreviation.
Oxygen cooled to about -183 °C so it becomes a pale blue liquid, used as the oxidizer in most liquid-fueled rockets, paired with kerosene, liquid hydrogen or methane. Clouds of vapor seen venting from rockets on the pad are LOX boiling off.
Example: The launch was scrubbed after a valve problem delayed LOX loading.
Usage notes
Robert Goddard launched the first liquid-fueled rocket on March 16, 1926, burning gasoline with liquid oxygen. SpaceX chills its LOX below its normal boiling point to pack more into the tanks. Hospitals also use bulk liquid oxygen tanks for medical oxygen. As a bagel topping, lox is unrelated smoked salmon.
Related abbreviations
More astronomy & Space abbreviations
- KBO – Kuiper belt object
- kpc – Kiloparsec
- LCDM – Lambda cold dark matter
- LEM – Lunar Excursion Module
- LEO – Low Earth orbit
- LISA – Laser Interferometer Space Antenna
- LSST – Legacy Survey of Space and Time
- ly – Light-year
- M – Messier object
- MACHO – Massive compact halo object
- MECO – Main engine cutoff
- MEO – Medium Earth orbit