Recoverable and Reusable Air Launch Pallet

The Missile Defense Agency (MDA) is in need of an innovative air launch pallet aimed at decreasing launch cost per mission and improving capability to accommodate various shape and size airdropped vehicle configurations. By developing a recoverable and reusable platform, MDA’s airdrop programs become more economically viable and environmentally friendly. To achieve MDA’s goals and still meet program requirements, Navatek proposes to use inflatable drop-stitch structures to develop a modular, light, conformal and reusable airdrop platform. Inflatable structures provide many significant advantages over traditional structures, including; high strength to weight ratios, high deployed-to-stowed volume ratios, conformal shaping, buoyant volume, rapid and self-erecting deployment, and fail-safe collapse. Advancements in high performance fibers, manufacturing and fabrication processes, and numerical analysis and simulation tools allows for innovative inflatable structures to be developed for applications previously considered too difficult or unsuited for pre-tensioned fabric structures. Approved for Public Release | 18-MDA-9817 (23 Oct 18)