Solid rocket motors including flight termination systems, and related multi-stage solid rocket motor assemblies and methods

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2017122259-A1
Application number	US-201514932895-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Nov 4, 2015
Priority date	Nov 4, 2015
Publication date	May 4, 2017
Grant date	—

Abstract

A solid rocket motor comprises a pressure vessel, a solid propellant structure within the pressure vessel, and a flight termination system overlying the pressure vessel. The flight termination system comprises a shaped charge configured and positioned to effectuate ignition of an inner portion of the solid propellant structure and a reduction in an ability of the pressure vessel to withstand a change in internal pressure. Another solid rocket motor, a multi-stage rocket motor assembly, and a method of destroying a launch vehicle in flight are also described.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A solid rocket motor, comprising:
a pressure vessel; a solid propellant structure within the pressure vessel; and a flight termination system overlying the pressure vessel and comprising a shaped charge configured and positioned to effectuate ignition of an inner portion of the solid propellant structure and a reduction in an ability of the pressure vessel to withstand a change in internal pressure.

2 . The solid rocket motor of claim 1 , further comprising:
a bore longitudinally extending through the solid propellant structure; and a slot in communication with an end of the bore and exhibiting a radial end proximate a sidewall of the pressure vessel, the shaped charge configured and positioned to effectuate ignition of the solid propellant structure at the end of the bore.

3 . The solid rocket motor of claim 2 , wherein the shaped charge is configured and positioned to cut through portions of the pressure vessel and the solid propellant structure overlying the radial end of the slot and to at least partially cut through additional portions of the pressure vessel not overlying the radial end of the slot.

4 . The solid rocket motor of claim 2 , wherein a portion of the shaped charge is positioned over and laterally aligned with the radial end of the slot.

5 . The solid rocket motor of claim 1 , wherein the shaped charge comprises a linear shaped charge.

6 . The solid rocket motor of claim 1 , wherein the flight termination system further comprises a conditioning structure configured and positioned to reduce damage to the pressure vessel effectuated by the shaped charge.

7 . The solid rocket motor of claim 5 , wherein the conditioning structure comprises at least one material positioned between a portion of the shaped charge and an underlying portion of the pressure vessel.

8 . The solid rocket motor of claim 1 , wherein an entirety of the shaped charge is positioned over the sidewall of the pressure vessel.

9 . The solid rocket motor of claim 1 , wherein the shaped charge is oriented parallel to a central longitudinal axis of the solid rocket motor.

10 . A solid rocket motor, comprising:
a pressure vessel; a solid propellant structure within the pressure vessel; and a flight termination system overlying the pressure vessel and comprising:
at least one first shaped charge configured and positioned to effectuate ignition of an inner portion of the solid propellant structure; and
at least one second shaped charge spaced apart from the at least one first shaped charge and configured and positioned to effectuate a reduction in an ability of the pressure vessel to withstand a change in internal pressure.

11 . The solid rocket motor of claim 10 , further comprising:
a bore longitudinally extending through the solid propellant structure; and at least one slot in communication with an end of the bore and exhibiting at least one radial end proximate an end of the pressure vessel, the at least one first shaped charge of the flight termination system configured and positioned relative to the at least one slot to effectuate ignition of the solid propellant structure at the end of the bore.

12 . The solid rocket motor of claim 11 , wherein the at least one first shaped charge is configured and positioned to cut through portions of the pressure vessel and the solid propellant structure overlying the at least one radial end of the at least one slot, and wherein the at least one second shaped charge is configured and positioned to at least partially cut through additional portions of the pressure vessel not overlying the at least one radial end of the at least one slot.

13 . The solid rocket motor of claim 11 , wherein the at least one first shaped charge is located over the end of the pressure vessel at one or more positions aligned with the at least one radial end of the at least one slot, and wherein the at least one second shaped charge is located over a tubular sidewall of the pressure vessel.

14 . The solid rocket motor of claim 10 , wherein the at least one first shaped charge comprises at least one conical shaped charge, and wherein the at least one second shaped charge comprises at least one linear shaped charge.

15 . The solid rocket motor of claim 10 , wherein the at least one second shaped charge is oriented perpendicular to a central longitudinal axis of the solid rocket motor.

16 . The solid rocket motor of claim 10 , wherein the at least one second shaped charge comprises at least two second shaped charges provided in opposing positions over the pressure vessel.

17 . A multi-stage rocket motor assembly, comprising:
an outer housing; and a plurality of stages in a stacked arrangement within the outer housing, at least one stage of the plurality of stages comprising:
a pressure vessel;
a solid propellant structure within the pressure vessel; and
a flight termination system overlying the pressure vessel and comprising at least one shaped charge configured and positioned to effectuate ignition of an inner portion of the solid propellant structure and a reduction in an ability of the pressure vessel to withstand a change in internal pressure.

18 . The multi-stage rocket motor assembly of claim 17 , wherein the at least one stage of the plurality of stages further comprises:
a bore longitudinally extending through the solid propellant structure; and at least one slot in communication with an end of the bore and exhibiting at least one radial end proximate the pressure vessel, the at least one shaped charge of the flight termination system configured and positioned relative to the at least one slot to effectuate ignition of the solid propellant structure at the end of the bore.

19 . The multi-stage rocket motor assembly of claim 18 , wherein the at least one shaped charge is configured and positioned to cut through portions of the pressure vessel and the solid propellant structure overlying the at least one radial end of the at least one slot and to at least partially cut through additional portions of at least the pressure vessel not overlying the at least one radial end of the at least one slot.

20 . The multi-stage rocket motor assembly of claim 18 , wherein the at least one shaped charge comprises:
at least one conical shaped charge positioned at an end of the pressure vessel and overlying the at least one radial end of the at least one slot; and at least one linear shaped charge discrete from the at least one conical shaped charge and overlying a sidewall of the pressure vessel.

21 . The multi-stage rocket motor assembly of claim 17 , wherein the at least one shaped charge comprises at least one linear shaped charge positioned over a tubular sidewall of the pressure vessel.

22 . The multi-stage rocket motor assembly of claim 21 , wherein the flight termination system further comprises a conditioning structure between a portion of the at least one linear shaped charge and the tubular sidewall of the pressure vessel.

23 . The multi-stage rocket motor assembly of claim 15 , wherein at least one other stage of the plurality of stages comprises:
another pressure vessel; another solid propellant structure within the another pressure vessel; and an additional flight termination system overlying the another pressure vessel and comprising at least one additional shaped charge configured and positioned to effectuate ignition of an inner portion of the another solid propellan

Assignees

• Orbital Atk Inc

Inventors

• Kliger Joseph J
• Braithwaite Paul C
• Liechty Brian C
• Patterson Donald B

Classifications

• F02K9/08

  using solid propellants (F02K9/72 takes precedence; using semi-solid or pulverulent propellants F02K9/70) · CPC title

• F02K9/38

  Safety devices, e.g. to prevent accidental ignition · CPC title

• F02K9/26

  Burning control {(F02K9/10, F02K9/34, F02K9/86, F02K9/92 and F02K9/94 take precedence)} · CPC title

• B64G1/52

  Protection, safety or emergency devices; Survival aids · CPC title

• F02K9/92 Primary

  incorporating means for reversing or terminating thrust · CPC title