LUNA LABS USA LLC — Department of Defense SBIR Phase I: N222-121

Description

Rockets can be stored for many years between manufacture and usage. In this time, the propellant in solid rocket motors (SRMs) ages, harming the rocket’s performance. The propellant is a highly filled elastomer containing solids, plasticizers, and stabilizers, joined by a polymeric binder. Over many years sitting in storage, aging field conditions change the mechanical properties of the propellant influencing the propellant’s performance. The rockets’ propellant must be inspected at intervals to ensure availability of the Navy’s arsenal. Current inspection methods rely on measuring the propellant outside of the rocket, either by disassembly to take a sample, or by maintaining witness samples alongside the rocket. Because of the difficulty of executing this test, a limited number of test articles and selected and coverage of the full stock of rockets is light. Luna Labs USA, LLC proposes developing a multi-modal inspection method well-suited to fitting the confined environment inside a SRM, enabling a wholistic view of the propellant’s health.