SAN DIEGO COMPOSITES, INC. — Department of Defense SBIR Phase I: Current LAU Launchers (LAU-68 and LAU-61) are constructed from aluminum tubes and bulkhead

Description

Current LAU Launchers (LAU-68 and LAU-61) are constructed from aluminum tubes and bulkheads but are too heavy and create too much drag for current fixed and rotary wing UAV platforms. SDC has proposed to redesign the LAU 61 and LAU 68 launchers with advanced light weight composite materials in order to reduce weight. SDCs preliminary analysis shows that weight reduction of as much as 65% can be achieved by using composite materials. SDC also has also proposed to design latch doors mechanism that integrates into the forward fairing. These will remain closed aerodynamic position and will open only upon rocket egress. The hatches will be designed to automatically shut closed in the presence of flight headwind and close after rocket has fired, maintaining their original aerodynamic shape. By moving away from a frangible fairing design and using automatically closing hatches the original low drag forward fairing is maintained for the return portion of the flight will see that drag is reduced by a factor of 4.