CHARACTERIZATION OF A NEW STRUCTURAL MATERIAL FOR LOW COST LAUNCH VEHICLES

THIS PROJECT WILL INVESTIGATE A NEW STRUCTURAL MATERIAL THAT APPEARS TO HAVE A NOVEL COMBINATION OF PROPERTIES SUITED TO LAUNCH VEHICLE APPLICATIONS. IN ADDITION, INITIAL WORK WITH THE MATERIAL INDICATES THAT IT SHOULD LEND ITSELF TO LOW-COST FABRICATION TECHNIQUES. WE WILL FIRST CHARACTERIZE THE MATERIAL ITSELF, WITH THE AIM OF IDENTIFYING IDIOSYNCRASIES THAT MAY LIMIT ITS RANGE OF APPLICATION. NEXT WE WILL EXPLORE SIMPLE FABRICATION TECHNIQUES AND SELECT THOSE WHICH SEEM MOST LIKELY TO ALLOW LOW-COST FABRICATION OF MAJOR COMPONENTS SUCH AS PROPELLANT TANKS. THEN WE WILL BUILD SOME SMALL PRESSURE VESSELS TO PROVE OUT THE FABRICATION TECHNIQUES, AND TEST THE VESSELS TO FIND THEIR BURST STRENGTH. FINALLY, WE WILL LOOK FOR SYSTEMS IMPLICATIONS THAT THE MATERIAL MAY HAVE ON LAUNCH VEHICLE DESIGN, SUGGEST SUITABLE VEHICLE CONFIGURATIONS, AND ESTIMATE THEIR POTENTIAL PERFORMANCE.