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ATS has been providing services for the research and development of interceptor technologies to the U.S. military for over seven years. We have designed and performed in depth analysis of components for hypersonic propulsion and vehicles including hot gas valves (MDA/Army), scramjets (NASA/Army), kinetic energy interceptors (MDA), active separation devices or charges (Army), and divert and attitude control systems (DACS) (MDA/Army). One of the most important tools we use for this area of research is computational fluid dynamics (CFD), which allows us to simulate complex fluid situations. Since testing of most full size interceptor technologies can be quite costly, ATS uses CFD to analyze complex hypersonic problems and design the best possible solutions. We use our in-house 39-node Beowulf cluster as well our access to the University of Maine’s 209-node supercluster to complete these analyses. In most cases, ATS then takes the next step to fabricate and test these components using our in-house machine shop and testing facilities. |
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ATS’ hot gas actuator program focuses on the development of low cost, lightweight hot gas valves for divert and attitude control thrusters.
We use our capabilities to simulate our valve design and then compare experimental results from in-house solid propellant fueled tests to those simulation results. What we’ve developed is a hot gas valve that manipulates the flowpath in such a way as to result in far less ablation and erosion than other designs, generating more consistent and reliable thrust. This technology could easily be extended for military and commercial axial thrusters as well as other endo- and exoatmospheric applications, like satellites and other orbiting vehicles.
