A Pintle Nozzle With Thrust Vector Control

Tactical missiles need to control their speed and be able to steer to a wide variety of targets. They usually control their speed with thrust management via pintle nozzles and steer with movable fins. Additional steering is often provided with jet vanes that provide thrust vector control (TVC). Moveable fins and TVC systems add weight, require additional power to operate, reduce missile velocity and decrease delivered specific impulse. Wickman Spacecraft & Propulsion Company (WSPC) has demonstrated the feasibility of an innovative pintle nozzle with integral TVC for lighter weight, lower power requirements, higher missile speeds and higher delivered specific impulse. If WSPC’s innovative nozzle was incorporated in the PAM missile (NLOS) system, the missile’s range would be increased by at least 12 %, its delivered specific impulse would be increased by 2% and its velocity would be increased by 10%, while maintaining or improving the PAM’s maneuverability. Phase II will demonstrate WSPC’s pintle nozzle through cold flow testing, solid rocket motor tests and a tactical missile sized motor firing at Army facilities with a typical TVC duty cycle. The final static firing will be verification that WSPC’s innovative pintle nozzle is ready to enhance Army tactical missile capability.