Propellant Gelation for Enhanced THAAD DACS Operability

MON25 and MMH propellant gelation offers enhanced maintainability and storability while reducing toxicity and minimizing combustion instabilities within combustion chambers of the THAAD DACS. Adaptation of CFDRC's proven churn mixing process for reduced temperature operation will be completed to augment distribution of an appropriate gelling agent into MON25. CFDRC will collaborate with the U.S. Army AMRDEC Propulsion and Structures Directorate to gel up to 5kgs of MON25 during Phase I. Appropriate rheological testing of the final gelled MON25 propellant will be completed to define the thixotropic fluid properties necessary to estimate system performance. THAAD DACS operation using both gelled and conventional MON25/MMH will be estimated using GFSSP (NASA's premier bipropellant engine simulation software). The influence gelling agents have on combustion in the THAAD DACS chamber will also be simulated using 3-D computational fluid dynamics. CFDRC will collaborate with Boeing and LockMart to define how effective gelled MON25 and MMH propellants enhance current and future THAAD system performance and operability. A strategic partnership with Boeing regarding THAAD DACS enhancement will be fully exploited. Comprehensive Phase II demonstration of gelled propellant operation in the THAAD DACS will be conducted at U.S. Army AMRDEC gel motor test facilities at Redstone Arsenal, Alabama.