Innovative Manufacturing of Novel, High-Performance Composites for Propulsion Components

This program will fully develop Cornerstone Research Group's (CRG) novel resin transfer molding (RTM) technology to significantly adjust the cost-versus-performance tradeoff for composite Solid Rocket Motors (SRM). The CRG approach involves fulldevelopment of the novel RTM process technology to manufacture SRMs in a much less expensive manner while allowing improved performance designs to be achieved. This novel process will achieve low-cost pre-insulated Leave-in Mandrels. These mandrels willbe inserted into the traditional filament winding manufacturing process currently used to manufacture SRMs. This approach will eliminate more than 50% of the labor in manufacturing SRMs. Additional benefits exist in the capability to customize insulationdesigns as needed to improve performance. CRG will develop this propulsion manufacturing technology under the expert guidance of propulsion design and manufacturing engineers at Pratt and Whitney Space Systems (P&W).