Innovative Techniques for Missile Defense - Proportional Hot Gas Actuator for DACS

A key component of missile interceptor vehicles is the divert and attitude control system (DACS), which is responsible for maneuvering the interceptor vehicle to its target. A vital component to the DACS is the thruster, which provides effective control of vehicle divert. Solid propellant DACS thrusters employ an adjustable pintle for controlling the thrust level. Movement of the pintle for smooth operation is typically accomplished with electro-mechanical (EM) actuators that require a significant portion of the total vehicle power. As the DAC thrust duration requirements increase, the power needs for EM actuation severely impedes meeting weight and size requirements. The focus of this effort is to minimize the electrical power requirements of the DACS by utilizing a small portion of energy from the solid propellant motor. The proposed innovative technique utilizes hot gases from the gas generator to drive the pintle actuation in a proportional mode. The Phase II effort will demonstrate a prototype hot gas actuator in relevant environment, which will verify the drastically reduced electrical power requirements for DACS for interceptor vehicles. Hence, the weight, size, and cost of the interceptor vehicles will be significantly reduce, and provide a more reliable and effective ballistic missile defense system.