SBIR-STTR Award

The proposed Phase I research program will develop an innovative filament wound composite case design for an annular rocket motor. Several design concepts for te motorcase and attachment interfaces iwll be developed which minimize the strain discontinuities present and address the large compressive stresses in the inner shell. This research focuses on four critical areas of the motorcase that require detailed study. They are: nozzle attachment design, forward joint design, rib stiffener/inner shell design and outer shell/dome design relative to the strain discontinuity. A detailed design development and trade study is proposed to identify the best design concepts to be incorporated into a final recommended annular motor case design. The selected design(s) would be further developed in a follow-on Phase II program including design, fabrication and testing. The Phase I program includes a limited fabrication effort to demonstrate the manufacturing feasibility of the inner shell/rib stiffener design and the outer shell design. The proposed research program is significant to the development of advanced composite motorcase technology for hypersonic/hypervelocity tactical missile systems such as the Advanced Kinetic Energy Missile (ADKEM).

Keywords:
annular motor composites tactical missile propulsion

An annular motor configuration offers performance and producibility enhancements for tactical hypervelocity missile systems by eliminating thrust misalignment and reducing the packaging envelope. However, significant design challenges of strain discontinuity between the inner and outer shells, discontinuity forces at end closure and body intersections and compressive instability of the inner shell must be met before implementation of a composite annular motor concept. This phase II research program will demonstrate the fabrication feasibility and performance of innovative filament wound composite outer shell, inner shell and attachment designs for an annular motor case through detailed design, fabrication and testing of the critical components. This will be followed by fabrication and hydrostatic burst testing of the final annular motorcase design. The proposed research program will support on-going and future tactical missile system programs at the U.S. Army Missile Command and other Department of Defense organizations.