DESIGN CONCEPTS FOR COMPOSITE MOTORCASE TO END CLOSURE ATTACHMENT

CURRENT METHODS FOR ATTACHING END CLOSURES TO COMPOSITE MOTORCASES WITH FULL DIAMETER OPENINGS MOST FREQUENTLY UTILIZE MECHANIAL PIN OR KEY JOINTS REQUIRING ADDITIONAL WEIGHT AT THE JOINT AREA AND EXPENSIVE, TIME-CONSUMING MACHINING OPERATIONS. MORE EFFICIENT METHODS OF JOINING END CLOSURES TO COMPOSITE MOTORCASES ARE REQUIRED TO FULLY REALIZE THE WEIGHT ADVANTAGES AND PERFORMANCE IMPROVEMENTS OFFERED BY COMPOSITE MOTORCASES. THE PROPOSED PHASE I RESEARCH WILL IDENTIFY SEVERAL DESIGN CONCEPTS FOR SMALL DIAMETER COMPOSITE ROCKET MOTORCASE-TO-END CLOSURE JOINTS WHICH OFFER IMPROVED EFFICIENCY OVER CURRENT MECHANICAL ATTACHMENT CONCEPTS. THE IMPACT OF TYPICAL TACTICAL MOTOR REQUIREMENTS ON COMPOSITE CASE/END CLOSURE DESIGN PHILOSOPHY WILL ALSO BE EVALUATED AS PART OF THE PHASE I ACTIVITY TO ALLOW FOR GREATER DESIGN FLEXIBILITY. IN ADDITION TO INTEGRALLY WOUND ATTACHMENTS AND ADHESIVELY BONDED THERMOPLASTIC JOINT CONCEPTS FOR FULL DIAMETER OPENING MOTORCASES, THE PROPOSED RESEARCH WILL ALSO EVALUATE THE FEASIBILITY OF FILAMENT WOUND DOMES/CLOSURES, REVERSE DOMES/CLOSURES AND MONOPOLE CASE DESIGNS, CONSISTENT WITH IDENTIFIED SYSTEM AND MOTOR REQUIREMENTS. THE PHASE I PROGRAM WILL RESULT IN THE SELECTION OF THE THREE MOST PROMISING DESIGN CONCEPTS FOR SUBSEQUENT EVALUATION AND TESTING IN PHASE II.