SBIR-STTR Award

The LCPK is a new Army guided missile program based on the venerable 2.75 unguided rocket. Although the guidance scheme is still up in the air, issues with rate sensors on other programs have sparked this SBIRtopic. We tell the story of the Predator/MPIM rate sensor issues, analyze the LCPK rate sensor needs as a function of the guidance scheme selection, and propose a test program and isolation mount design for the Endevco Micromachined Accelerometer Gyro (MAG) sensor which should fill the application needs for both linear acceleration and angular rate information.

Benefits:
Everyone is excited about the eventual possibilities of MEMS. This project emphasizes the near term development of a highly accurate miniature inertial sensor.

The LCPK is a new Army guided missile program based on the venerable 2.75" unguided rocket. The semiactive, strapdown homing guidance scheme uses existing designators. A midbody bearinq de-spins the guidance section, making possible a very small, low cost I~U to be built using automotive grade HEMS rate sensors and accelerometers. We review our Phase I work of demonstrating the feasibility of this approach through system modeling and vibration testing currently available Candidate rate sensors to insure operation in a potentially severe flight environment. We submit a preliminary design of a "Flexible IMU" that can readily handle a variety of rate sensors, packaging constraints, and output requirements.

Benefits:
Everyone is excited about the eventual possibilities of HEMS. This project emphasizes the near term development of a low cost, low risk Inertial Measurement Unit based on COTS HEMS