Technologies for Containerizing and Vertically Launching Multiple Missiles Simultaneously

XCraft, Inc. and team partner KaZaK Composites, Inc. are proposing to develop a method to launch, store and transport multiple EAPS missiles within the current NLOS canister AUR. The method of missile isolation, shock, gas mitigation, and heat management will be integrated into the canister so that the adjacent missiles are not damaged during launch. The canister will meet the requirements for storage, transportation, simultaneous/near simultaneous launch. The team will develop an advanced composite canister cradle comprised of integral yet isolated missile containment tubes. The arrangement of composite tubes will be separated using a next generation structural material such as GCF that has been proven in other applications. The team will use pultrusion technology to reduce manufacturing costs. Pultrusion is a highly automated method for making constant cross section hardware at less than half the cost of other composite manufacturing methods. The Phase I effort will focus on design and analysis of a composite canister for the two EAPS missile configurations. Work will culminate with the detailed design of a prototype composite canister with an optimal packaging of the EAPS missiles. This prototype will demonstrate the proposed EAPS missile array with gas mitigation and thermal management systems.