CASSIDIAN / EADS Deutschland GmbH

Development, testing and qualification of a Solid Rocket Motor

EADS / CASSIDIAN GmbH did contract in 2011 a feasibility study to develop a solid rocket motor to be used in an auxiliary take off unit. Maximum thrust was specified up to 20 kN and to­tal impulse had to be kept in a closely defined range as well. Ra­pid thrust build up was of paramount importance.

WEPA-Technologies in cooperation with an external partner did de­sign the engine including all hardware components according to contract requirements, manufactured prototypes and con­ducted static tests. A nitrate / polymer composite propellant was used. Compared to state of the art double-base or ammoniumper­chlo­rate based systems, handling procedures can be conducted in a much safer manner. As a consequence legal transport and storage issues are significantly less demand­ing and air transport can be real­ized.

During the development process internal ballistics were modi­fied several times to finally meet the specified parameter.
Production processes of the composite propellant were adapted to assure the procedure meeting the highest qual­ity standards.

The specifications defined by EADS / CASSIDIAN were met and proven during several technical acceptance trials.