SBIR-STTR Award

This SBIR Phase I and Phase I Option effort will demonstrate the feasibility of a controllable missile lateral support system that reacts automatically to shock and vibration inputs. The proposed design concept will utilize a smart material to provide automatically controllable shock and vibration damping for variable payload weights contained within the missile tube. Modeling and simulation will be conducted based on the system requirements and operational scenarios. A subscale conceptual design will be tested, evaluated, and delivered. Existing submarine shock and vibration isolation systems are passive systems that do not have the ability to accommodate changes in the payload. The proposed system will eliminated this drawback, since the damping will be adjusted based on the acceleration feedback provided to a control system. The proposed system will be sustainable and designed as fail-safe, where during a power supply interruption it will behave as a passive isolator.

Benefit:
The immediate market of the technology is the lateral support systems between the launch canister and the missile tube. Upon successful demonstration of the technology, it can be used as advanced shock and vibration isolation systems, for various military and commercial applications, including variable load sensitive equipment isolation, earthquake isolation, and automotive shock absorbers.

Keywords:
Jacking feet, Jacking feet, Missile tube, Controllable shock and vibration isolation, Lateral support system, Variable payload

This SBIR Phase II effort will be aimed towards designing and testing a controllable missile lateral support system (LSS) that reacts automatically to shock and vibration inputs. A sub-scale lateral support system (LSS) assembly consisting of six jacking feet and a full-scale LSS jacking feet unit will be fabricated and tested. The electromechanically actuated LSS will offer controllable damping to protect the payload from shock and vibrations events, while having the capability of aligning the canister within the missile tube. The proposed design concept will utilize a smart material to provide automatically controllable shock and vibration damping for variable payload weights contained within the missile tube. In Phase II a control system will be developed for optimized performance of the scaled LSS and for integration with ship controls.

Benefit:
Existing submarine shock and vibration isolation systems are passive systems that do not have the ability to accommodate changes in the payload. The proposed system will eliminate this drawback, since the damping will be adjusted based on the acceleration feedback provided to a control system. The proposed system will be sustainable and designed as fail-safe, where during a power supply interruption it will behave as a passive isolator. The immediate market of the technology is the lateral support systems between the launch canister and the missile tube. This technology will transition to the Ohio Replacement Program technology portfolio for inclusion in the developing platform. Upon successful demonstration of the technology, it can be used as advanced shock and vibration isolation systems, for various military and commercial applications, including variable load restraint systems and sensitive equipment shock and vibration isolation systems.

Keywords:
Controllable, Fail-Safe, Missile lateral support system, Vibration Isolator