Integrated Airframe System

Building upon the successful Phase I demonstration of the feasibility of the Blended Hybrid Laminate (BHL) technology, the Phase II effort will seek to demonstrate and validate the technology at a relevant scale. Phase II confirmation of high cryo-pressure cycle life and high structural performance will open the door to the application of the technology to future high performance rockets, such as the Reusable Booster System. The Phase II effort will also seek to incorporate features of the Highly Integrated Modular Structure (HIMS) technology with the BHL technology. The demonstration of these capabilities will expand the toolbox of options available to the developer. With these options, innovative configurations could lead to performance enhancements for future rocket systems. This will be accomplished with the design, analysis and fabrication of an Integrated Airframe System™ (IAS™) using the BHL and HIMS technologies. The BHL technology addresses serious issues and short comings of the current state of the art in cryogenic propellant storage in composite pressure vessels, while the HIMS technology provides multifunctional structure capability. Two IAS units will be fabricated and delivered to DARPA and AFRL for testing and evaluation.