MAINSTREAM ENGINEERING CORP — Department of Defense SBIR Phase I: N222-126

MAINSTREAM ENGINEERING CORP — SBIR Phase I award from Department of Defense.

Amount
$139,829
Agency
Department of Defense · Navy
Program / Phase
SBIR · Phase I
Topic
N222-126
Solicitation
22.2
NAICS
Place of performance
FL
Period
2022-11-28 → 2023-05-29

Description

Current solid rocket motor propellant chemically degrades over time, and the only available in-place testing requires manual placement, excessive labor, and disassembly and reassembly of the solid rocket motor. Mainstream proposes to develop a non-destructive spectroscopic based propellant analyzer that can determine chemical species, including binder, stabilizers, plasticizers, oxidizers, and other organic compounds with a custom insertion system to measure propellant in-place at multiple locations, several meters into the motor, and fit through a nozzle. The sensor head will contain a rastering tip that is connected to the measurement system and the sensor will meet all hazard of electromagnetic radiation to ordnance (HERO) requirements. Phase I will culminate in proof-of-concept demonstrations of all key measurements and Phase II will further refine, build, and demonstrate a prototype.