Integrated Rocket Motor Life Prediction System

Impact Technologies, LLC, proposes to develop an Integrated Rocket Motor Life Prediction Software System. Shelf life of missiles is limited due to aging and damage to the solid propellants. This, in turn, is due to daily and annual variation in storage conditions, shocks, stresses and transportation induced vibrations. The Army and missile manufacturers have a wide range of models and algorithms that give damage, reliability and age estimates for the missile, based on motor life. During Phase I, Impact will integrate these diverse models into a GUI driven software system that uses information fusion and probability based algorithms to combine the results of different models to provide an estimate of remaining life of the rocket motor. The software system will have a flexible architecture that will link rocket motor sensor data, storage area environmental data, statistical and manufactures data to the algorithms to provide a comprehensive missile reliability picture. Impact will tune and validate the system using rocket motor lifing data provided by the army. During Phase II, Impact will develop new algorithm and models that will use concepts from finite element analysis, viscoelasticity, nonlinear damage accumulation and probability theory to enhance and improve the fidelity of the life prediction system. In addition, Impact will continue to develop the GUI and improve the system architecture.