Durable Extendible Nozzle for Ballistic Missile Defense Advanced Solid Propellant Divert and Attitude Control Systems

Heritage vehicles with large, axial thrust rocket motors have used extendable nozzles with great success. The Ballistic Missile Defense System (BMDS) future interceptors, including the SM-3 Block IIB, require advanced DACS to evolve the BMDS toward emerging threats. Building upon its core competencies, Systima"s design approach enables the proven advantages of nozzle extension technology. Teamed with a key industry partner, the proposed design approach will develop a compact light-weight, fast activation extendible Divert and Attitude Control Systems (DACS) nozzle with the capability to increase ISP for future interceptor programs. Systima and its partner believe that this technology will give the capability to increase ISP, within given payload volume constraints, thereby increasing the KW Delta V capability. This increased divert velocity will greatly enhance the ability of the SM-3 BLK IIB to perform its mission when engaging complex and rapidly changing BM threat scenes.