INTEGRATED CASE STRUCTURE/EXTERNAL PROTECTION SYSTEM

MRC PROPOSES TO DEVELOP AND FABRICATE A HIGHLY INNOVATIVE SOLID BOOSTER MOTORCASE, SKIRT AND PBV INTEGRAL EXTERNAL PROTECTION MATERIAL (IEPM) WHICH PROVIDES (1) LIGHT WEIGHT, (2) HANDLING PROTECTION, (3) STRUCTURAL LOAD CARRYING CAPABILITY, (4) NUCLEAR INDUCED DEBRIS, THERMAL FLASH (TF) AND X-RAY AND (5) DIRECTED ENERGY WEAPON (DEWCW AND PULSED IR LASER PROTECTION). THE CONCEPT CONSISTS OF AN OUTER, THIN LOADED RUBBER MODIFIED EPOXY LAYER CONTAINING CERAMIC PARTICULATE LOADING TO PROVIDE TF PROTECTION, HIGH Z PARTICULATE LOADING TO PROVIDE X-RAY SHIELDING OF THE INNER LAYERS AND CONTINUOUS AXIAL/HOOP CARBON FIBER REINFORCEMENT TO PROVIDE LOAD/STIFFNESS SHARING, AND PRIMARY DEBRIS PROTECTION. THIS LAYER IS COCURED TO A CERAMIC FABRIC NET WHICH REPLACES THE CONVENTIONAL KEVLAR REINFORCEMENT AND PROVIDES ENHANCED DEBRIS PROTECTION. THE INNER STRUCTURAL LAYERS CONSIST OF REFRACTORY METAL COATED CARBON FIBERS IN A RUBBER MODIFIED EPOXY MATRIX WHICH PROVIDES THE LASER PROTECTION DUE TO ENHANCED REFLECTIVITY AND ENERGY CHANNELING. THE PHASE I EFFORT WILL FOCUS ON DESIGN TRADES AND PROTOTYPE SAMPLE FABRICATION FOLLOWED BY SCALE UP AND RING FABRICATION BY MORTON THIOKOL, THE CO-PROPOSER OF THIS EFFORT. PHASE II WILL CONSIST OF SCALE UP STUDIES LEADING TO 18 INCH BOTTLE FABRICATION, PROCESSING OPTIMIZATION AND AGT/UGT TESTING. PHASE III WILL INVOLVE FULL SCALE FABRICATION AND TESTING.