LIGHTWEIGHT, COMPOSITE PROPULSION MANIFOLD SYSTEM WITH INTEGRAL PROPELLANT LINES

"Liquid propellant Divert and Attitude Control Systems (DACS) are unanimously recognized as the most mature, low risk, and most versatile type of propulsion for maneuvering small vehicles and structures. This program will apply a low cost compositefabrication process to a new technology application for BMDO interceptors and commercial satellites. The product, integrally molded propellant lines within a composite propulsion system manifold, will be based on a) a precision composite fabricationprocess called matched metal net molding, and b) proven liquid propellant systems which are firmly established for a majority of BMDO interceptor programs including the Theater High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) missile, Ground Based Interceptor (GBI), andthe Anti-Satellite (ASAT) programs.This new product will be based on proven composite materials fabrication technologies developed by BMDO and innovative propulsion concepts being developed by Rocketdyne. It has direct application to the THAAD Attitude Control System (ACS) PropellantManifold, and has garnered interest by the engineering staff at Boeing North American Rocketdyne. The work conducted in the tasks will be linked to other development programs at Rocketdyne developing non-toxic liquid propellant technology for Navy BMDOapplications, specifically with potential uses on the Gel DACS design. Propulsion systems have traditionally been fabricated from high density metals, in part because