Mini Safe Fuel Piezo-Actuated DACs

Dynamic Structures and Materials, LLC (DSM) proposes the development of a miniature piezo-actuated divert and attitude control system (DACS) for the Naval Electromagnetic (EM) gun projectile. DSM’s development team proposes to produce the requirements for the mini-DAC system, develop a safe-fuel formulation, perform endo- and exo-flight dynamic studies, and develop packaging concepts. DSM will develop a piezoelectric actuation technology that will have superior response and performance characteristics over electromagnetic actuator (EMA) options. The proposed DAC system will have sufficient degrees of freedom (DOF) to support the divert capability to achieve accuracy on the order of 5-m CEP for the projectile. The development process will involve performing flight dynamics studies over the course of the entire projected path to determine the requirements of the DAC system. The proposed system will be able to correct for trajectory errors and maintain stable flight. In addition, DSM’s development team anticipates being able to produce a system that will be operational over the entire range of aerodynamic pressures during endo-atmospheric and exo-atmospheric portions of hypersonic flight.