Liquid oxygen

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Liquid oxygen (also LOx, LOX or Lox in the aerospace industry) is the liquid form of oxygen. It has a pale blue colour and is strongly paramagnetic. Liquid oxygen has a density of 1140 kg/m&sup3 and is moderately cryogenic (Freezing Point: -219 deg C., Boiling Point: -183 deg C.) Oxygen is found naturally in the air. For industrial applications it is obtained from air by fractional distillation.

LOx is a common liquid oxidizer propellant for spacecraft rocket applications usually in combination with liquid hydrogen or kerosene. It has been used in the very first rocket applications like V2 missile and Redstone, R-7 or Atlas boosters. LOX is useful in this role because it creates a high specific impulse. LOx was also used in some early ICBM's although more modern ICBM's do not use LOX because its cryogenic properties make it harder to maintain and launch quickly.

Liquid oxygen which has added synthetic skunk-scent as a security feature, is sold under the brand name Odorox.

fr:LOX ms:Oksigen cair ja:液体酸素