System for Reconfigurable Shock and Vibration Mitigation

"Current attempts to enhance the ability of SSBNs to deploy guided missiles has created the opportunity to replace the existing pad-based missile shock isolation systems with those based on smart material technologies. The utilization of these advancedmaterials promises to deploy more modular, adaptable isolation systems that may be tuned to a broad class of current and future missiles. Working closely with our Naval contacts, CSA will develop a system requirements trade space that incorporates theisolation needs of several strategic and guided missiles. From these requirements we will then investigate the feasibility of various isolation technologies. These disciplines will range from passive VEM based solutions to fully "active" technologies thatemploy sensors, actuators and intelligent control. From these studies we will develop detailed component level and material-specific requirements that dictate device design and test. Out of these component requirements will come an assessment as to thebest technology to employ in the real system. Our goal is to develop a shock isolation system whose shock attenuation exceeds that of the existing systems and yet can be easily tuned and reconfigured to several classes of ballistic and guided missiles.Beyond the stated application, the proposed system would be an invaluable tool for the transportation of high dollar items in air-borne, land or sea-borne platforms for both military and com