Materials for Low Cost and Low Erosion Advanced Rocket Propulsion Components

Triton Systems, Inc. and our team members propose a Phase II program which will enable revolutionary advances in commercial and US Military Critical rocket propulsion systems, and reduced acquisition and lifetime costs. During the Phase I program, Tritonsuccessfully demonstrated the ability of our novel materials to outperform competing refractory materials, metal or ceramic, composite or monolithic, in terms of combining: Strength at elevated temperatures (10x columbium at 2350F, 20x tungsten at 4000f),Frature toughness (10x silicon carbide), Resistance to oxidation and erosion during liquid and solid rocket motor nozzle/chamber tests, Fullstrength retention at ultimate operating temperatures above 5000F. Manufacturing costs 10% to 250% less than other refractory components, resulting from inexpensive starting materials, near net shape green body machining, and pressureless sintering.During the Phase II program, the Triton team will make the necessary materials and process innovations to elevate this refractory technology to the state of readiness necessary to exploit the promise now being demonstrated for its use in a wide variety ofmilitary and commercial product applications. The additional developments and use-environment specific material improvements will be the critical steps needed to insert Triton's technology into the US and world marketplace. The components we initiallydevelop will enable revolutionary advances in future generations of rocket propulsion systems in terms of reduced acquisiton and lifetime maintenance costs, decreased system weights, and increased performance, impacting kill vehicle (KV) Divert andAttitude Control Systems (DACS), upper stage launch vehicle engines/motors, or commercial satelittle orbit insertion and station keeping motors as we mature the technology base, our development efforts will expand to focus on products which will penetratethe more lucrative commercial ceramic markets. We will leverage our successes in optimizing compositons, processes, and product/materials design methodologies, to insert both commodity and unique products into the $8 Billion per annum market for advancedceramic components.