The development of a high performance canopy for the ACES II ejection seat requires a complete program of design, analysis, simulation, prototyping and full-wcale testing. These are two primary end-items projected for this effort. First and foremost is a validated and proven canopy for the ACES II ejection seat. The second is a validated methodology for the analysis and simulation of high performance, load bearing, aerodynamic textile structures. A complete development program is proposed, consisting of: tested hardware, a full computer simulation with structural and performance analysis, and a Level-2 data package. With a documented history in finite element, aeroelastic and aerodynamic analysis and simulations, Phoenix Scientific will apply this expertise, and the most recently available analysis methodologies, to the very difficult task of a non-linear, dynamic analysis of a high performance canopy. This analysis will be accomplished concurrent with the design, fabrication and testing necessary to develop the required canopy system.
Benefits: The more commercially viable product of this effort is the validated process and techniques for evaluating the characteristics of a decelerator system without performing large scale hardware testing. A validated, simulation and analysis methodology would have commercial marketability in a wide variety of applications. These include the development of high-performance sails and fab ric covered blades for wind-energy systems, flotation devices, hang-gliders and ultralights. Almost any design that utilizes loaded fabric structures could be evaluated by the techniques validated under this program.
