SBIR/STTR Research Award
HIGH EFFICIENCY, RELATIVELY LOW-CURRENT INPUT
Award amount
$49,651Program and phase
SBIR · Phase IAward year
1991Award details
- Awarding agency
- Department of Defense
- Branch
- Missile Defense Agency
- Recipient company
- Xerad Inc
- Proposal award date
- Not reported
- Contract end date
- Not reported
- UEI
- Not reported
- Solicitation number
- Not reported
- Topic code
- Not reported
Research abstract
IN 1971 AUSTRALIAMS BARBER AND MARSHALL RAILGUN-ACCELERATED A SMALL PROJECTILE TO 7 KM/S; SPAWNING A NEW ERA OF ELECTRIC HYPERVELOCITY LAUNCHERS FOR WEAPONS, SPACE LAUNCH, AND IMPACT FUSION. AMONG ELECTROMAGNETIC CANDIDATES ONLY THE RAILGUN ACHIEVES MULTI-KILOGEE ACCELERATIONS NEEDED FOR SHORT-BARREL GUNS. HOWEVER, INPUT CURRENTS OF MEGA-TO-GIGA-AMPERES ARE REQUIRED. ALSO IN THE CONVENTIONAL RAILGUN HALF OF THE INPUT ENERGY STAYS BEHIND AS RESIDUAL FIELD. YET FURTHER, RESTRIKE EFFECTS IN THE PLASMA "ARMATURE" PRESENTLY LIMIT LAUNCH SPEEDS TO \6 KM/S. THE GRAIL RAILGUN OFFERS TO PROVIDE (PROPRIETARY) SOLUTIONS TO THESE PROBLEMS AS WELL AS TO ELIMINATE MUZZLE FLASH.
Technology keywords
Not reported