SBIR-STTR Award

The overall objective of this proposal is to develop the necessary components and to design and build a compact pulsed power system for the Missile Defense Agency that will produce little or no debris when activated. In particular, the energy requirements for the HPM payload appear to require an explosive-driven magnetic flux compression generator or one of it derivatives to provide the energy required. This application combined with other requirements of a constrained space, G hardening, and relatively low mass make this a very challenging objective. However, the additional requirement of little and preferably no debris generation make this proposed effort extremely challenging. The primary objective for the Phase I effort is to design, fabricate, and test the explosive generator which will be the key component for the overall power supply. We propose several approaches to enable the design of this explosive generator. First, the metal used in the generator will be minimized. Second, the kinetic energy will be minimized. Third, the quantity of explosive used will be minimized. Finally, the entire generator will be encapsulated in a modern composite to both contain the internal debris and to not spall from the outward shock wave to produce external debris. While extensive theory and computer simulations will be used as tools, the major deliverable for this effort is an explosive generator experimental test that both works as expected and produces little or no external debris.

Keywords:
High Power Microwave, Payloads, Small Rockets, Multiple Kill Vehicles, Pulsed Power System, Rf Source

Design and build compact, pulsed power devices for High Power Microwave (HPM) Payloads for small rockets and/or the Multiple Kill Vehicles (MKVs).The overall requirements for this solicitation are very demanding. Overall, an explosive pulsed power system is required to be able to drive an RF source. This eventually will include prime power, the generator, and a pulse forming circuit. While the design and test of a explosive generator that does not produce debris was the main focus of the Phase I effort, we proposed and worked toward bringing along the energy storage capacitor as well. In Phase II, we will continue this parallel development. For the explosive generator, the requirements are extremely challenging. These may be summarized as four separate requirements to be satisfied within one design. 1. The system must be able to power an HPM source, implying the generation of 10’s to 100’s of joules of energy. 2. It must be compact enough to fit within a 3” diameter and 24” long enclosure and be capable of G hardening for the anticipated missions. 3. The system must be low mass to satisfy the needs of the small smart communicating kill vehicles, such as the Multiple Kill Vehicle (MKV). 4. The system, once initiated, must produce little or no debris. These are each very challenging requirements. However, to achieve all of them simultaneously is a challenge indeed! As noted in the solicitation, the “current FCG designs are not satisfactory and new innovative designs are required.”

Keywords:
Shock Wave Generator, High Power Microwave Payloads For Small Rockets, Multiple Kill Vehicles