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Vol. 37, No. 1 January 2011 News and Information for the Greater Propulsion Community

JANNNAF Gathers in Orlando for Joint Subcommittee Meeting

Contents58th JPM to Meet in Arlington........................8

New Year’s Greetings From CPIAC’sDirector...............................................................9

“We Are DLA” Intitiative..............................10

35th RTG Meets at Purdue University.......11

December 2011 JANNAF in Huntsville.......12

Spotlight on SBIRs Expert Microsystems......................................13 Advanced Space Propulsion............................14

2010 Advanced Space Propulsion Workshop.........................................................15

Propulsion News Highlights.........................16

CPIAC Joins Mentorship Program............17

New CPIAC Staff Members..........................17

Recent CPIAC Products/Publications...........2Technical/Bibliographic Inquiries....................2Bulletin Board/Mtg.Reminders........................3JANNAF Meeting Calendar.......................back(left to right) Rob Pritchard, Steve Florian, Melissa Milani, and Stuart Blashill.

The Joint Army-Navy-NASA-Air Force (JANNAF) 40th Structures and Mechanical Behavior Subcommittee (SMBS), 36th Propellant and Explo-sives Development and Characteriza-tion Subcommittee (PEDCS), 27th Rocket Nozzle Technology Subcom-mittee (RNTS), and 25th Safety and Environmental Protection Subcommit-tee (SEPS) Meeting was held Monday through Friday, 6–10 December 2010, at the Buena Vista Palace Hotel in Orlando, Florida. Robert W. Pritchard of the Naval Air Warfare Center in China Lake, California chaired the meeting. Attendance was 377, with 136 papers presented. There were 31 regu-lar technical sessions, 3 specialist ses-sions, and 10 workshops.

Program highlights included a keynote address, “EOD Disposal

Procedures and Insensitive Munitions,” by Melissa M. Milani. Mrs. Milani is the Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) coordinator for all U.S. Ord-nance Programs in the Department of Defense (DoD) at Indian Head, Mary-land. She described some EOD prob-lems that are unique to newer muni-tions. Specifically, insensitive muni-tions generally require significantly larger quantities of demolition explo-sives, fuze and booster components are often hardened, and self-extinguishing rocket motors are difficult to destroy. Because of these problems, EOD per-sonnel often need more time in the field, making them more vulnerable to attack by the enemy. To improve the situation, more reliable means of identifying munitions are needed, and new munitions should be designed to

facilitate demolition in the event that they become a hazard.

After the keynote address, awards were given to JANNAF members for their outstanding contributions to the JANNAF community. Dr. David R. Mattie received a JANNAF Executive Committee Service Award in recog-nition of his lengthy and productive service as SEPS Chair. Dr. Gregory Ruderman and Scott Dawley received SMBS Awards for outstanding sus-tained contributions and dedicated ser-vice to JANNAF. Russ Ellis received an RNTS Lifetime Achievement award for outstanding sustained contributions to Rocket Nozzle Technology and ded-icated service to JANNAF.

(continued on page 4)

CPIAC Bulletin/Vol. 37, No. 1, January 2011

CPIAC’s Technical/Bibliographic

Inquiry Service

CPIAC offers a variety of services to its subscribers, including responses to technical/bibliographic inquiries. Answers are usually provided within three working days and take the form of telephoned, telefaxed, electronic, or written technical summaries. Customers are provided with copies of JANNAF papers, excerpts from technical reports, bibliographies of pertinent literature, names of recognized experts, propellant/ingredient data sheets, computer programs and/or theoretical performance calculations. The CPIAC staff responds to nearly 800 inquiries per year from over 180 customer organizations. CPIAC invites inqui-ries via telephone, fax, e-mail, or letter. For further information, please contact Ron Fry by e-mail to [email protected]. Representative recent inquiries include:

The Chemical Propulsion Information Analysis Center (CPIAC), a DoD Information Analysis Center, is sponsored and administratively managed by the Defense Technical Information Center (DTIC). CPIAC is responsible for the acquisition, compilation, analysis, and dissemination of information and data relevant to chemical, electric, and nuclear propulsion technology. In addition, CPIAC provides technical and administrative support to the Joint Army-Navy-NASA-Air Force (JANNAF) Interagency Propulsion Committee. The purpose of JANNAF is to solve propulsion problems, affect coordination of technical programs, and promote an exchange of technical information in the areas of missile, space, and gun propulsion technology. A fee commensurate with CPIAC products and services is charged to subscribers, who must meet security and need-to-know requirements.

The Bulletin is published bimonthly and is available free of charge to the propulsion community. Reproduction of Bulletin articles is permissible, with attribution. Neither the U.S. Government, CPIAC, nor any person acting on their behalf, assumes any liability resulting from the use or publication of the information contained in this document, or warrants that such use or publication of the information contained in this document will be free from privately owned rights. Paid commercial advertisements published in the Bulletin do not represent any endorsement by CPIAC.

Editor: Ashley Hajnos410-992-7303, ext. 227; Fax 410-730-4969

E-mail: [email protected]

CPIAC Director: Dr. Edmund K. S. Liu The Johns Hopkins University/CPIAC

10630 Little Patuxent Parkway, Suite 202Columbia, Maryland 21044-3286

CPIAC is a JANNAF- and DTIC-sponsored DOD Information Analysis Center operated

by The Johns Hopkins University Whiting School of Engineering

under contract W91QUZ-05-D-0003http://www.cpiac.jhu.edu

Copyright © 2011The Johns Hopkins University

No copyright is claimed in works of theU.S. Government.

The content of the Bulletin is approved for public release; distribution is unlimited.

TECHNICAL INQUIRIES

• N-14 Propellant Ballistic Information (Req. 26895)

• Propellant Used in Weapon A SRM to Support Weapon Disposal (Req. 26910)

• TSRM & SRAM Ignitor Information (Req. 26913)

• Thermal Stability and Small Scale Burn Test Data on HNS Type IV (Req. 26922)

BIBLIOGRAPHIC INQUIRIES

• Verifying Thrust Vectoring (Req. 26957)

• Explosives or Propellants to Dispersed Water Liquid Fuels (Req. 27024)

• TEXCHEM Code Reference Information (Req. 27079)

Recent CPIAC Products and Publications

JSC CD 62, 7th Modeling and Simulation, 5th Liquid Propulsion, 4th Spacecraft Propulsion Joint Subcommittee Meeting, May 2010.

Has your contact informati on changed?Let us know!

Send updates to [email protected]


Commercial Human Spacefl ight Technical Forum12–14 January 2011Boulder, ColoradoPOC: http://www.specialaerospaceservices.com/forum2011.htm

37th Annual Conference on Explosives and Blasting Techniques6–9 February 2011San Diego, CaliforniaPOC: http://www.isee.org/FPconference.htm

9th Annual U.S. Missile Defense Conference and Exhibit (Secret/U.S. Only)21 March 2011Washington, DCPOC: http://www.aiaa.org/content.cfm?pageid= 230&lumeetingid=2433

46th Annual NDIA Armament Systems: Gun and Missile Systems Conference and Exhibition11–14 April 2011Miami, FloridaPOC: http://www.ndia.org/meetings/1590/Pages/default.aspx

17th AIAA International Space Planes and Hyper-sonic Systems and Technologies Conference11–14 April 2011San Francisco, CaliforniaPOC: http://www.aiaa.org/content.cfm?pageid=230&lumeetingid=2467

NDIA Environment, Energy Security, and Sustainability Symposium and Exhibition9–12 May 2011New Orleans, LouisianaPOC: http://e2s2.ndia.org/Pages/Default.aspx

IM Technology Gaps Workshop20–24 June 2011Huage, The NetherlandsPOC: http://www.msiac.nato.int/

42nd International Annual Conference on Energetic Materials28 June 2011Karlsruhe, GermanyPOC: http://www.ict.fraunhofer.de/ (in German)

4th European Conference for Aerospace Sciences (EUCASS)4-8 July 2011St. Petersburg, RussiaPOC: http://eucass.ru/cs/index.php/eu/2010

47th AIAA/ASME/SAE/ASEE Joint Propulsion Conference and Exhibit1-3 August 2011San Diego, CaliforniaPOC: http://www.aiaa.org/content.cfm?pageid= 230&lumeetingid=2424

32nd International Electric Propulsion Conference (IEPC)11-15 September 2011Wiesbaden, GermanyAbstract Deadline: 26 March 2011POC: http://www.IEPC-2011.de

26th NDIA International Symposium on Ballistics12-16 September 2011Miami, FloridaPOC: http://www.ndia.org/meetings/1210/Pages/default.aspx

Th e Bulletin Board Various propulsion-related meetings are listed below. If you know of an event that may be of interest to the propulsion community, please forward the details to [email protected]. Additional industry meetings are posted on the CPIAC Web site, Meetings & Symposia: http://www.cpia.jhu.edu/templates/cpiacTemplate/meetings/. Th e JANNAF Calendar appears on the back page.

Upcoming Meetings and Events


JANNAF Subcommittee Meeting... continued from page 1

40th SMBS Technical ProgramSMBS conducted six regular tech-

nical sessions independently, one ses-sion jointly with PEDCS, two work-shops independently, and one work-shop jointly with PEDCS. Session topics were material properties and characterization; service life and mis-sile sustainment; structural analysis and design; non-destructive evalu-ation; experimental structural and mechanical analysis and test meth-ods; and propellant constitutive mod-eling theory and application.

Participants of the Space and Mili-tary Wireless Sensors Systems Work-shop shared their visions, discussed their successes, described new tech-nologies, and aired their frustrations in implementing wireless sensing in space and military platforms. Partici-pants included NASA, defense orga-nizations, small businesses, prime contractors, program managers, and interested parties—all with the com-mon objective of using wireless sens-ing in systems to gather informa-tion of interest and providing data for the decision makers. There were many examples of organizations already using systems developed by small businesses, but the wide accep-tance of this technology has not been embraced. Plans are being developed for the next workshop in this series (which will be the fifth), and will likely focus on roadblocks to imple-mentating wireless sensors. One of the highlights of the workshop was a briefing on the implementation and successes of the sensing system that was developed to detect collisions on the space shuttle leading edges as a result of the Columbia incident.

SMBS, the Modeling and Simu-lation Subcommittee (MSS), and the Liquid Propulsion Subcommit-tee (LPS) held a joint workshop to discuss the proposed Multi-Agency Sensor Database. A number of speak-ers presented their own collections of sensor information and upcoming

sensor types that would need to be captured by a new database. The MSS Integrated Health Management and LPS Engine Health Management panels had been working since the May 2010 Joint Propulsion Meeting on a proposed database architecture, including field requirements; this work was presented and reviewed with an eye to capturing the types of sensors discussed at the beginning of the workshop. The workshop partici-pants were able to converge on a new draft of the required fields and types of information necessary to make a sensor database useful to a broad community, including both JANNAF and the Department of Energy.

36th PEDCS Technical ProgramPEDCS conducted 16 regular

technical sessions and 2 specialist sessions independently, 5 sessions with other subcommittees, and 4 workshops. Session topics were low-hazard solid propellant formulation and characterization; gun propellant formulation and testing; propellant aging and surveillance; foreign solid propellant technology; gas generator and small caliber propellants, ignit-ers, and venting for gun systems; explosive formulation and develop-ment; solid propellant test methods; insensitive solid propellant develop-ment; hydrazine neutralization; pro-pellant and explosive process engi-neering; liquid propellants; environ-mental protection; green energetic materials; and resonant acoustic mix-ing (RAM).

Foreign solid propellant technol-ogy comprised a specialist session, which focused on foreign open litera-ture developments in energetic mate-rials with applicability to solid pro-pellants. Invited researchers identi-fied the significant developments and expressed their opinions regarding the significance of those developments. The session covered developments

Former SEPS TSG Chair, David Mattie (center) was presented with the JANNAF Executive Committee Service Award by Stuart Blashill (left), JANNAF EC member, and Richard Cartwright (right), CPIAC Technical Representative.

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Meeting Chairman Rob Pritchard (left) presents Gregory Ruderman with an SMBS Award.

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Steve Florian (left) presents Russell Ellis with an RNTS Lifetime Achievement Award.

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with oxidizers, binders, plasticizers, fuels, and ballistic modifiers, along with novel propellant formulation approaches. This is intended to be the first of two specialist sessions. The second session, planned for the next PEDCS meeting, will comprise foreign developments not reported in the open literature and will accord-ingly be classified.

The Propellant Aging and Sur-veillance Workshop was conducted jointly with SMBS. It focused on the relationship between the chemi-cal aspects of propellant aging, the mechanical properties that result from aging, and the possibility of wireless sensors that can detect aging phenomena. Overarch-ing goals of aging and surveillance studies are to prevent fielded munitions from being the point of detection of fail-ures; evaluate in-service ordnance for changes that impact safety, reliability, structural integrity, and performance; and predict service life of fielded munitions. Presentations included status reports of Navy and Marine Corps propel-lant surveillance programs; development of an automated time-to-failure test; review of propellant stability determina-tion methods as presented in Allied Ordnance Publications and NATO Standardization Agreements; and an update on the activities of the Joint Propulsion Safety and Surveillance Board.

The goal of the Resonant Acoustic Mixing (RAM) Spe-cialist Session was to allow the energetic materials user community to share information on safety, facility require-ments, and general observations on this relatively new tech-nology. Participants included the manufacturer, industry, government, and universities. This open exchange of infor-mation allowed many of the partici-pants who had very limited experience with RAM to have their questions answered. The intent is to continue an open dialogue on experiences learned, with the primary objective being safe operations for energetics. An on-site demonstration gathered considerable interest from parties who may evalu-ate and pursue and evaluate the limits of this mixing technology.

PEDCS and the Propulsion Sys-tems Hazards Subcommittee (PSHS) jointly conducted a workshop on air blast overpressure testing. The objec-tive was to develop a consensus on

how to analyze overpressure data in order to more realistically determine hazards that can be used for estab-lishment of siting and transportation requirements. The workshop was also intended to identify the direc-tion of research that can provide tests and analyses toward the same end. Because of the great diversity of munitions, no single consensus was reached. However, the presenta-tions were helpful in providing guid-ance to ensure that test results are meaningful.

Hydroxyl-terminated polybutadi-ene (HTPB) variability was the sub-ject of a PEDCS workshop. A previ-

ous workshop in December 2009 had revealed many issues with raw material and propellant variability. The issues regarding HTPB have continued to mount, and this work-shop was established to continue the discussions among the Government organizations, contractors, and the HTPB sup-plier (Cray Valley LLC). A previous proposal for round-robin testing of HTPB samples has not been successful. The current path forward calls for propellant data from cur-rent producers to be collected by an impartial organization, edited to protect proprietary information, and analyzed by subject matter experts.

PEDCS also conducted a workshop on insensitive muni-tions (IM) hazard classification. The workshop was an opportunity to reiterate information on the history, policy, criteria, and procedures for IM, hazard classification, quali-fication and final (type) qualification within the Navy and other services to personnel who have been involved in this field, and to educate those who are new. A flow chart show-ing the need for concurrence among the various safety-

related DoD organizations was espe-cially informative.

27th RNTS Technical ProgramRNTS conducted four regular

technical sessions, one specialist ses-sion, and one workshop. Regular ses-sion topics were Thermal Structural and Thermostructural Analysis and Modeling; Nozzle Testing and Thrust Vector Control; and Nozzle Process-ing Science and Control Systems.

The specialist session was con-cerned with development of advanced rocket propulsion materials by the


Keynote Melissa Milani gives her address on EOD disposal procedures and insensitive munitions.

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Members of MSS attend the Large Solid Rocket Motor Performance Workshop, which was held over a two-day period.


Missile Defense Agency (MDA). The MDA is currently developing weapons to engage and destroy missile threats. Advanced propulsion materials with improved ablation resistance and structurally insulative capabilities are needed for this application. The MDA is significantly investing in such materials by funding the efforts of small business inno-vative research (SBIR), to meet this need. The specialist ses-sion provided an overview of the development activities and status reports of the respective efforts.

The RNTS workshop addressed Lyocell (a regenerated cellulose fiber) as a replacement for rayon in production of rocket nozzles. Over the past two years, significant progress has occurred in the development of Lyocell as a precursor for carbon fibers used in ablative nozzles. The workshop provided the history of these efforts, along with require-ments, properties, and results of motor firings. Data from Lyocell-based materials, as used in rocket nozzles, were provided to the propulsion community, and the potential for alternate applications of Lyocell-based carbon materials was explored.

25th SEPS Technical ProgramSEPS conducted three sessions independently, four ses-

sions jointly with PEDCS, and one workshop. Regular ses-sion topics were green energetic materials; environmental protection; hydrazine neutralization; demilitarization; indus-trial hygiene and safety; and toxicology, occupational, and environmental health.

The SEPS workshop was concerned with environmen-tal aspects of new insensitive munitions (IM). The Army recently held a workshop to develop a consolidated, pri-oritized list of the environmental, safety, and occupational health (ESOH) data and documentation necessary for field-ing of new IM energetic materials. The JANNAF workshop focused on refining the findings of the Army workshop and extended those results to all services and NASA. Ultimate results of the workshop will include a fully-coordinated, finalized list for publication in a detailed report, and recom-mendations for implementation of the guidance in this report through appropriate service chains of command.

Other SubcommitteesThe MSS Solid Rocket Motor Performance Prediction

& Standardization Panel held a workshop to discuss and develop a point-of-departure baseline for the next genera-tion of large, high-performance solid rocket motors. Brief-ings of recent motor tests presented by Aerojet and Alliant Techsystems were used to anchor the discussion of achieved performance and were compared to CFD-based motor per-formance predictions. Measurement and prediction gaps were identified, and desired efforts for future modeling and solid rocket motor performance measurement programs were established.

The Space Propulsion Subcommittee (SPS) conducted a second workshop on AFRL Monopropellant AF-M315E; the first workshop on this subject was held at the May 2010 JANNAF meeting. The second workshop focused on devel-opment of requirements for a Design of Experiments effort to support future AFRL testing of catalyst bed thrusters using AF-M315E—in particular, to achieve the performance goals of the Integrated High Payoff Rocket Propulsion Technol-ogy (IHPRPT) program by demonstration. A third workshop is planned for the April 2011 JANNAF meeting (see Future Plans below).

Meeting ProceedingsMeeting proceedings will be available shortly on CD-

ROM. Qualified customers may contact CPIAC at 410-992-7300 or [email protected] for more information or to order the proceedings.

Future PlansThe next joint meeting of these subcommittees is planned

for the spring of 2012. The next JPM, which will include the Combustion, Airbreathing Propulsion, Exhaust Plume and Signatures, and Propulsion Systems Hazards Subcommit-tees, will be held 18–22 April 2011, at the Hyatt Regency Crystal City Hotel in Arlington, Virginia. More information on this meeting may be found on the meeting Web site, http://www2.cpiac.jhu.edu/meetings/apr2011/pages/index.html.


https://www2.cpiac.jhu.edu/meetings/apr2011/pages/index.html

mailto:[email protected]


JANNAF Attendees Enjoy Conference

Congratulations, Merritt Helvenston! Dr. Helvenston of New Mexico Highlands University is the winner of the JANNAF business card raffl e and a Remembering the Giants book and dvd box set! Thank you to all who participated in the raffl e.


Don’t Miss the Next JANNAF Meeting!44th Combustion, 32nd Airbreathing Propulsion, 32nd Exhaust Plume and Signatures, 26th Propulsion

Systems Hazards Joint Subcommittee MeetingDate: April 18–22, 2011Location: Hyatt Regency Crystal City, Arlington, Virginia. Program Chair: The Program Chair for this meeting is Mr. Jeremy R. Rice, Army Armament Research, Development and Engineering Command. Hotel Reservations: A limited number of hotel rooms have been reserved with the Hyatt Regency Crystal City, in Ar-lington, Virginia. Negotiated concessions include free wireless internet access in hotel rooms and public areas, $10 valet parking, and shuttle service to the SAFTAS Conference Facility. (These concessions are available only to attendees who are staying at Hyatt Regency Crystal City and make their reservations before March 25, 2011.) The room rate per night for all attendees will be $175 plus applicable taxes. Each individual is responsible for his or her own reservation. Reservations may be made online at https://resweb.passkey.com/go/JHU11 or by calling the hotel at 1-888-421-1442. Please refer to the JANNAF Meeting when making your reservations to ensure the negotiated rate.Security: Unclassifi ed sessions will be held at the Hyatt Regency Crystal City; classifi ed sessions will be held at SAFTAS Conference Facility, both in Arlington, Virginia. Attendance at this JANNAF meeting is restricted to U.S. citizens whose organizations are registered with an appropriately-classifi ed contract with the Defense Technical Information Center and certifi ed for receipt of export-controlled technical data with the Defense Logistics Information Service.Paper Deadlines: All manuscripts and paper clearance forms are due to CPIAC by March 21, 2011.Program: The preliminary program will be available online shortly. Visit www.jannaf.org for updates.Questions: All technical questions should be addressed to the appropriate CPIAC technical representative:

• CS: Mr. Ronald Bates, 443-718-5008 or [email protected]• APS: Mr. Ronald Fry, 410-231-0641 or [email protected]• PSHS: Dr. Richard Cartwright, 443-718-5004 or [email protected]• General JPM: Dr. Edmund Liu, 443-718-5000 or [email protected]

For all other matters related to this meeting, please contact Meeting Planner Patricia Szybist, 410-992-7302 or [email protected].

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Happy New Year from CPIAC!December 1, 2010

This was an exciting year to see the Commercial Space industry begin to take form. The major anchors of the eff ort are the two NASA-funded commercial off -the-shelf (COTS) programs, SpaceX and Orbital. The successful fi rst launch of Falcon 9 by SpaceX and static test fi ring of AJ26-62 liquid engine at NASA Stennis by Orbital, demonstrated the tremendous success of both organizations.

NASA is hopeful that funding stabilization in GFY2011 will allow Congress to defi ne NASA’s space exploration mission. In the mean-time, Ares DM-2 was able to complete a successful fi ring.

The Department of Defense continues to move forward with bud-get reductions in an eff ort to save billions through reduced overhead functions, elimination of duplications and better management of production eff orts.

DTIC made a signifi cant change in the operation of Information Analysis Centers (IACs) through the fi rst award of the Software, Networks, and Information Management Multiple Award Contract (SNIM MAC) and the fi rst Basic Core Operations (BCO) under the small business model. In an eff ort to streamline operations, improve effi ciencies, cut costs, and meet the customer needs, the current IAC structure will slowly migrate to MAC and BCO operations over the next several years. This will aff ect all of the current IACs.

Tens of thousands of legacy documents have been digitized un-der the Total Electronic Migration Systems (TEMS) Legacy Project by DTIC which involved all the IACs. Unfortunately, this eff ort has come to an end due to overhead reductions within DoD and its sub-sequent fl ow down to the IACs. CPIAC will continue to digitize doc-uments as other resources and time allows.

The JANNAF Journal of Propulsion and Energetics continues with plans for the release of Volume 4 in April 2011. Acceptance by the community has been steady, although we desire to double the num-ber of submissions to allow us to eventually produce two issues a year. I would like to remind everyone that this is the only limited-distribution export controlled peer-review journal for publication of scholarly work in the area of propulsion and energetics.

Thanks to all the presenters and attendees, the JANNAF meetings continue to be very successful. The exchange of information is ex-tremely valuable to the community and we are encouraged by the number of new members attending our meetings.

Whatever the outcome of NASA and DoD budgets and priorities may be, the JANNAF community and CPIAC will adapt to a changing 2011 and beyond, with continued emphasis on serving the customer.

Best wishes to each of you from all of us at CPIAC. We look for-ward to serving your needs in 2011 and beyond!

EdDr. Edmund K.S. Liu, CPIAC Director


Defense Logisti cs Agency Launches “We Are DLA” Initi ati veBy Beth Reece, DLA Strategic Communications

The Defense Logistics Agency launched a new initiative called “We Are DLA” on 19 July 2010 in an effort to create a single-agency environment among customers and its global workforce.

The agency has field sites in 48 states and 28 countries to help customers get the supplies they need, said DLA Director Navy Vice Admiral Alan Thompson, but their organizational names often reflect missions or locations without associating them to the larger DLA enterprise.

The We Are DLA initiative is expected to create a single-agency environment that lets customers know exactly “who” DLA is and helps the agency build a greater sense of community among its global workforce.

The first step in emphasizing DLA’s identity will be the renaming of field activities to clearly identify each as a part of DLA. The names will reflect each activity’s affiliation with DLA, as well as the commodity or service it provides to custom-ers. The new names of primary-level field activities are:• DLA Land and Maritime (Defense Supply Center, Columbus, Ohio);• DLA Troop Support (Defense Supply Center, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania);• DLA Aviation 9 Defense Supply Center, Richmond, Virginia);• DLA Energy (Defense Energy Support Center, multiple locations); • DLA Disposition Services (Defense Reutilization and Marketing Service, multiple locations); and • DLA Distribution (Defense Distribution Center, multiple locations).

Agency leaders want to be unified in delivering what warfighters expect and to be viewed by stakeholders as a single enterprise, officials said. The unified approach is especially critical as DLA continues integrating additional responsibilities and personnel from the military services through the 2005 Base Realignment and Closure recommendations.

“I think the resulting transparency will educate our customers on the total width and breadth of the enterprise behind their logistics services,” Thompson said. “Also, I believe it will enlighten our employees on both their place in this world-wide enterprise and the wide range of possibilities inherent in working for a global agency.”

This is the first time in DLA’s 49-year history that an attempt has been made to make organizational names consistent, the director added. Additionally, DLA Director Navy Vice Admiral Alan Thompson released the 2011 Director’s Guidance. The guidance emphasizes DLA’s role as America’s Combat Logistics Support Agency and encompasses the foundation of its mission and values. It delineates three strategic focus areas: Warfighter Support Enhancement, Stewardship Excellence, and Workforce Development. The guidance also aligns commitment to Warfighter support with resource stewardship and doing what is right for the Armed Forces and DoD.


35th Rocket Test Group Meeti ng By David Owen, CPIAC

Purdue University’s Maurice J. Zucrow Laboratories in West Lafayette, IN hosted the 35th Rocket Test Group (RTG) meeting on 11-12 November 2010. The RTG meet-ing is a 1.5-day work-ing group for rocket test facility operators and managers to discuss testing facilities, their practices, upgrades and changes, and recent tests.

The RTG meets in the spring and fall of each year to discuss current issues facilities are facing and present on new practices, recent rocket firings, experi-ments, facility upgrades and changes, and new test cells. The RTG meetings also provide a forum to discuss test cell problems and gather input on possible solutions from other test facility experts. RTG meetings provide an environment that allows operators and managers to discuss their issues and brainstorm/discuss solutions to problems.

Each RTG meeting is held at a different test facility and includes facility overview presentations and a tour of the facilities themselves. The tour at this meeting included Purdue University’s static rocket test cells and the Birck Nanotechnology Center. Thirty-seven attendees from

twenty-one organizations (five government organizations, six universities, and ten commercial companies) involved in rocket test facilities participated in the 35th RTG meeting.

Technical presentations were provided and dis-cussed, including the topics of university test facilities, cryogenic test facilities, hypergolic gel research, helium and hydrogen recovery, guided wave radar liq-uid level detection sys-tem, incorporating test data into valve mod-eling, digital imaging inside a motor plume, low thrust measurement issues with dynamic

response profiles, and the nation’s test facility capabilities. At this meeting, the RTG was also fortunate to have

NASA White Sands Test Facility (WSTF) provide its two-day Hydrogen System Design, Analysis, and Operations Safety Training course at Purdue University for the two days prior to the meeting. The course, led by a WSTF instructor, was attended by a mixture of rocket test facility operators and Purdue University professors and graduate students.

The next RTG meeting will occur in spring 2011. Details will be released at www.rockettestgroup.org as they become available.

Members of the RTG at Purdue University’s Maurice J. Zucrow Laboratories

http://jannaf.promoshop.com


JANNAF in Huntsville December 2011Plans are underway for the 8th Modeling and Simulation, 6th Liquid Propulsion, 5th Spacecraft Propulsion Joint Subcommittee Meeting to be held at the Huntsville Marriott, December 5–9, 2011.

Sleeping rooms have been reserved at the Huntsville Marriott; government attendees will be charged the prevailing per diem rate, while the rate for industry attendees will be $125.00. Free internet is available to all JANNAF attendees who book their room at the Huntsville Marriott before November 12, 2011. Reservations can be made by calling Marriott reservations at 1-888-299-5174.

All technical questions should be addressed to the appropriate CPIAC technical representative: MSS: Mr. Nick Keim, 443-718-5005 or [email protected]; LPS: Mr. Peter Zeender, 443-718-5001 or [email protected]; SPS: Mr. David Owen, 443-718-5006 or [email protected].

For all other matters related to this meeting, please contact Meeting Planner Patricia Szybist, 410-992-7302 or [email protected].

Additional information will be available in spring 2011. Check the JANNAF Web site, www.jannaf.org for updates.

Th is is a paid advertisement. Postings should not be taken as support or endorsement of any kind by CPIAC.

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Spotlight on Small Business Innovati on Research (SBIR)Expert Microsystems: An SBIR Success Story

By Randy Bickford

Expert Microsystems, Inc., Orangevale, California

The Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) pro-gram provides funding to small businesses to facilitate the commercialization of innovative technologies. Under the sponsorship of the SBIR Program, Expert Microsystems, Inc., Orangevale, California, has successfully developed an encompassing suite of innovative prognostic and health management (PHM) technologies with proven commercial applications across a broad range of industries including aerospace, power generation, chemical manufacturing, clean technology, homeland security, and computing and network hardware.

Built on SBIR technology, Expert Microsystems’s com-prehensive PHM software suite is commercialized under the SureSense® product name. This versatile and unique software detects operating anomalies and faults automati-cally and performs diagnostic analysis to predict the health and remaining useful life for mission critical equipment. Its sensitive pattern recognition algorithms detect abnormal equipment behavior accurately before a failure occurs, thus avoiding costly or dangerous equipment shutdowns. The software has also been used to identify and isolate anoma-lous sensor data to avoid flight and test cancellations due to faulty telemetry data. A key feature of SureSense is an extensible plug-in framework that enables rapid optimiza-tion of the software for a wide variety of applications.

Originally developed for Space Shuttle Main Engine (SSME) data validation under NASA Glenn Research Center (GRC) and NASA Marshall Space Flight Center-sponsored SBIR projects, SureSense demonstrated 100% detection accuracy when tested against 50 SSME flight firings. SureSense also accurately identified three sensor failures encountered in the actual flights.

Under USAF- and DOE-sponsored SBIR projects, SureSense capabilities were expanded to include new pre-dictive models and fault detection algorithms. In F-100 gas turbine engine tests conducted at the USAF Arnold Engineering Development Center, SureSense enabled rapid and accurate analysis of engine ground test data, thereby reducing development timelines and eliminating expensive investigations caused by faulty data. Under DOE sponsor-ship, SureSense was successfully installed at several nuclear power plants and continues to be used for instrument moni-toring and early detection of critical equipment problems.

SureSense has also demonstrated its capability to predict useful life of monitored equipment such as batteries under Th e Fuel Actuator Systems Test Rig at NASA GRC.

the U.S. Naval Air Systems Command-sponsorship for the Joint Strike Fighter Program.

Expert Microsystems has successfully demonstrated the commercial applicability of SureSense in several Phase III SBIR projects. SureSense was used to validate control system data for the RS-83 and RS-84 boost engines in sup-port of NASA’s Space Launch Initiative Program. Most recently, Expert Microsystems’ technology was adopted by NASA for use in the Ares I launch vehicle’s on-board Fault Detection, Notification and Response (FDNR) System. In support of the Ares I application, SureSense was shown to accurately identify and isolate hardware simulated sensor failures during testing with a fuel actuator systems test rig at the NASA Glenn Research Center. In both of these Phase III SBIR efforts, SureSense demonstrated its value in accurately detecting corrupt sensor data that can adversely affect crew safety or mission success. These demonstrated commercial applications of Expert Microsystems’ technology are excel-lent examples of how the SBIR program fosters innovation of technology at small companies.

For additional information, visit www.expmicrosys.com.


Spotlight on Small Business Innovati on Research (SBIR)Electric Solid Propellant Development

By Wayne Sawka, PhDDigital Solid State Propulsion, LLC, Nevada

Digital Solid State Propulsion LLC, (DSSP) is a Nevada-based business that was started in 2006 with SBIR funding from the Missile Defense Agency (MDA) to commercialize game-changing energetic materials. DSSP’s current busi-ness focus is to fully develop first-of-their-kind electrically-controlled extinguishable solid propellants that are capable of throttling and multiple ignitions and extinguishments with no moving parts. DSSP is also firmly committed to develop-ing only environmentally-safe green energetic materials. At our Reno facility, DSSP has built a modern fully-equipped energetics laboratory that includes a Thermogravimetric Analyzer, Differential Scanning Calorimeter, windowed high-pressure Parr reactor, chemistry lab, vacuum cham-bers, and thrust stands, along with The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (BATFE)-permitted explosives magazine storage.

Current conventional DoD propellant technology centers on ammonium perchlorate (AP) and double-base (DB) ener-getics. These conventional solid propellants, once ignited, cannot be easily controlled, extinguished, or restarted. Typi-cally such conventional propellants also have Department of Transportation shipping classifications of Class 1.1 to 1.3 Explosives that require BATFE user, magazine, and manufacturer permitting. These AP and DB energetics are also susceptible to accidental ignition, making conventional munitions still dangerous and unable to meet existing insen-sitive munitions (IM) requirements. In addition, these pro-pellants are hazardous to manufacturers using ammonium perchlorate, nitroglycerine, and other sensitive components. These AP and DB technologies also are very environmen-tally toxic, and are responsible for numerous expensive long-term DoD soil and groundwater clean-ups. Just a few months ago it was also discovered that the drinking water supply in Barstow, CA is poisoned by more than four times the allowable AP, and a state of emergency was declared by the governor.

Now under SBIR funding from both the Navy and the MDA, DSSP is testing specific applications for our low haz-ard, electrically-controlled solid propellant (ESP) materials. When baseline ESP is fitted with electrodes and a power of the required voltage is applied, the propellant ignites and continues to burn until the voltage is removed, caus-ing extinguishment (Fig. 1). Once extinguished, the ESP can then be re-ignited electrically at will. Throttling of the propellant burning rate is accomplished by changing the electrical power input. No one else in the world has been able to control energetics electrically like DSSP does. Some ESPs are also insensitive to ignition by bullet impact, spark (continued on page 15)

Figure 1. Electric solid propellants extinguish immediately upon removal of electrical power as illustrated by the complete detachment of the fl ame from the propellant as seen in this high speed photograph.

Figure 2. Electric solid propellants are insensitive to bullet impact with the 3-inch diameter motor casing shown surviving a dozen 7.62mm metal jacketed and tracer rounds without reaction.

and flame, etc., which makes them safer to transport and use (Fig. 2). ESPs also use environmentally “green” materials, making them safer to manufacture, use, or dispose of.

In summary, ESPs are effectively the first “smart” solid energetic materials. For IM compliance, ESPs cannot be ignited via flame, spark, or tracer rounds. Baseline ESP for-mulations are also non-toxic, producing only CO

2, N

2, and

H2O as major combustion products; thus, they are safe for

use in close proximity to humans. ESPs are also safer to manufacture as they are easily processed at room tempera-ture, do not require high shear mixing, and once cured, are


safe to machine. ESPs are also suitable for use in vacuum casting of complex grain shapes and small devices. DSSP recently formulated higher-impulse non-extinguishing ESPs for electric-only ignition, which will still allow electrical throttling.

As an emerging new class of energetic material, ESPs should have many applications to smart weapon systems including solid-Divert and Attitude Control System (DACS), controllable tactical rocket motors, and spacecraft propulsion. Many dif-ferent future weapons systems should greatly benefit from this SBIR investment in these safe energetic materials. DSSP is the sole source for development of ESPs, having exclusively licensed the baseline formulations and filing additional patents.

We have demonstrated the functionality of ESPs, and their ability to be tailored to a range of specific mission applica-tions, such as low power requirements (satellites), high power (igniters), among others. During our ongoing Navy and MDA SBIRs, we have expanded the number of known electric solid propellants/pyrogens from two to more than five. Performance and burning rate data suggest that ESPs are near one-to-one replacements for typical AP and DB propellants. Overall, ESPs tend to burn faster at lower pressures than conventional solid propellants, while still having comparable I

SPs.

DSSP’s growth was augmented by taking full advantage of the Navy’s Technology Applications Program and the MDA’s Technology Applications Review mentoring programs that are available to SBIR companies. DSSP was also able to establish a Cooperative Research and Development Agreement with Naval Air Systems Command, China Lake, CA, to accelerate IM Testing and application insertion. DSSP has teamed up with Russ Carlson at Valley Tech Systems, Inc., whose expertise in pintle control and hot gas valves is allowing us to start development on large DACS systems for MDA by leveraging our SBIR programs. All services were represented at our third Integrated Product Team meeting held in December 2010, so our advocates are growing in numbers. We also have seen that being located in Reno-Tahoe’s recre-ational mecca has given DSSP a hiring advantage, helping to attract established industry experts like Michael McPherson who loves fly fishing and top graduates from Purdue and University of Alabama Huntsville who enjoy being just 20 minutes from world class skiing and rock climbing. One of our newest hires said he “liked the graduate school atmosphere of DSSP.” DSSP plans to apply electronics manufacturing methods to the production of ESP devices, so costs can be dramatically lowered, allowing broader use of the technology in munitions and commercial applications. The first ESP devices will be completely solid-state attitude control systems for small projectiles and satellites. We are planning for a space test of our nano-thrusters in the very near future and will release a commercial CubeSat propulsion system in about a year from now, as DSSP’s first product.

Electric Solid Propellants Development... continued from page 14

The 2010 AFRL/JPL/NASA Advanced Space Propulsion Workshop (ASPW) took place 15–17 November 2010 at the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs, CO. The ASPW was sponsored by the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory, the Air Force Research Laboratory, and the NASA Glenn Research Center In-Space Propulsion Technology Project.

About 60 presentations were given over three days covering the topics of nuclear propulsion, advanced electric propulsion, solar thermal propulsion and solar sails, micropropulsion, propellant-less propulsion, earth-to-orbit propulsion, beamed energy propulsion, advanced in-space propulsion, mission applications and architectures, and component improvement. The presentations ranged from addressing near-term technology challenges to presenting far-term concepts for interstellar propulsion and launch vehicles. The emphasis of the ASPW was on low Technology Readiness Level (TRL) technologies, particularly relatively far-term space propulsion and power concepts.

The major goals of the workshop were to provide a forum for program coordination between researchers in low TRL advanced space propulsion, identify major research issues and potential benefits for each long term enabling technology and the effort needed to develop the technology, and identify near- and far-term technology options and challenges to their development.

The keynote address, given by Dr. Harry Partridge, discussed the research programs of the NASA Office of the Chief Technologist. Plenary sessions included a presentation of a technology area roadmap for in-space propulsion technologies by Dr. Les Johnson, NASA MSFC; a discussion of AFRL’s advanced propulsion concepts efforts by Dr. Marcus Young, AFRL; a lecture on advanced electric propulsion at JPL by Dr. Dan Goebel, JPL; and an address on the special topic of space debris removal by 1Lt Stephanie Keith, who provided an overview and led the subsequent discussion. The workshop was well-attended by 73 researchers from 37 organizations.

2010 Advanced Space Propulsion WorkshopBy David Owen, CPIAC


Propulsion News Highlights

Ground Based Interceptor (GBI) Missile Defence Test Conducted (12-15-2010)Source : Missile Defence Agency (MDA)

The Missile Defense Agency was unable to achieve a planned intercept of a ballisti c missile target during a test over the Pacifi c Ocean on 15 December 2010. The fl ight test included the successful fl ight of an intermediate-range ballisti c missile target from Ronald Reagan Test Site on Kwajalein Atoll in the Republic of the Marshall Islands and a long-range interceptor missile launched from Vandenberg Air Force Base, California.

The Sea Based X-Band radar (SBX) and all sensors performed as planned. The Ground Based Interceptor (GBI) was launched and successfully deployed an Exoatmospheric Kill Vehicle (EKV). Program offi cials will conduct an extensive investi gati on to determine the cause of the failure to intercept the target. The next fl ight test will be determined aft er identi fi cati on of the cause of the failure.

Full Press Release: htt p://www.mda.mil/news/10news0019.html

Air Force’s X-37B Historical Landing Advances Space Vehicle Technologies (12-10-2010)Source : United States Air Force (USAF)

Aft er 224 days in space since its launch 22 April 2010 from Cape Canav-eral, Florida, the X-37B orbital test vehicle landing marks the Air Force’s latest step in experimental test missions to improve the service’s space capabiliti es, offi cials said December 6.

The 11,000-lb OTV made an autonomous landing at Vandenberg Air Force Base, California on 3 December 2010 at 1:16 a.m., allowing the Air Force to begin evaluati on of its functi ons as a satellite communica-ti ons, weather, and material technology asset, said Deputy Under Secre-tary of the Air Force for Space Programs Richard McKinney.

Full Press Release: htt p://www.af.mil/news/story.asp?id=123233862

SPACEX’S DRAGON SPACECRAFT RE-ENTERS SUCCESSFULLY (12-08-2010)Source: SpaceX

SpaceX launched its Dragon spacecraft into low-Earth orbit atop a Falcon 9 rocket at 10:43 a.m. EST on 8 December 2010 from Launch Complex 40 at the Air Force Stati on at Cape Canaveral, Florida. The Dragon spacecraft orbited the Earth at speeds greater than 17,000 mph, reentered the Earth’s atmosphere, and landed in the Pacifi c Ocean shortly aft er 2:00 p.m. EST.

This marks the fi rst ti me a commercial company has successfully recovered a spacecraft reentering from low-Earth orbit. It is a feat performed by only six na-ti ons or government agencies: the United States, Russia, China, Japan, India, and the European Space Agency. It is also the fi rst fl ight under NASA’s COTS program to develop commercial supply services to the Internati onal Space Stati on.

Full Press Release: htt p://www.spacex.com/press.php?page=20101208

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Dragon spacecraft lands in the Pacifi c Ocean as planned.


CPIAC Joins in Mentoring Local YouthMaryland’s Howard County Public School System

offers a mentoring program as part of its gifted and talented curriculum; local organizations such as ATK, APL, and The University of Maryland take part in this program to provide local high school students an environment in which the students learn and engage in professional activities in the area which they wish to pursue a career. CPIAC has recently joined its affiliate organizations in this program.

Patricia Szybist, CPIAC’s meeting planner, recently offered her time as a mentor to a student interested in the area of meeting planning and/or hospitality services. In November, CPIAC welcomed Miss Olivia Aberdeen as a meeting planning intern.

Olivia is a senior at Wilde Lake High School, Columbia, Maryland, and works during her lunch hour Monday through Friday at the CPIAC office. Olivia’s career interests include event planning and culinary arts with a goal of one day owning her own event-planning business.

The December 2010 JANNAF meeting attendees can thank Olivia for the wonderful menus she coordinated for their conference. Olivia’s ability to accomplish so much in just a five-hour work week has made her a valuable asset to the CPIAC meeting planning process.

In addition to her dedication to her studies and internship, Olivia also participates in volleyball, track, and band. During a recent WLHS sports award banquet Olivia received the “Most Improved Player” award from the volleyball coach, who commented on her teamwork and effort on behalf of the girl’s volleyball team.

Olivia plans to pursue a culinary arts degree at Johnson and Wales University. In her spare time she enjoys baking and spending time with friends.

Olivia Aberdeen (left) with Meeting Planner Patricia Szybist.

New Employees at CPIACCPIAC is pleased to announce two additions to our

staff. Hwei-Ru Chen joined CPIAC as an Administrative Secretary on October 25, bringing more than 15 years of administrative experience to CPIAC. She will be provid-

ing daily administrative support including pro-cessing invoices, reim-bursements, purchas-ing, reconciliation, and special projects.

Hwei-Ru came to CPIAC after 11 years of working in different di-visions of Development at Johns Hopkins Uni-versity. She holds an M.S. in music educa-

tion from Towson University and enjoys teaching piano; she has also been a volunteer teacher for 10 years, helping young children learn Chinese.

Prior to Johns Hopkins, Hwei-Ru was a member of the Technical Services team at the Maryland Association of CPAs. She also worked at a medical emergency response center as a Medical Assistance Coordinator arranging med-ical evacuation for international and domestic travelers.

Hwei-Ru can be reached at 410-992-7300, ext. 212 or by e-mail to [email protected].

After many years as a consultant to CPIAC, Hugh McSpadden has formally joined the CPIAC techni-cal staff as a casual employee of JHU. In this capac-ity, CPIAC can more effectively use Hugh’s 55+ years of experience in the rocket industry. After a long and successful career with Goodrich Corp., AIP/Propulsion Systems (better known previously as UPCO), Arizona, Hugh served as a consultant to the company. When not performing failure analysis, Hugh serves as the advisory committee, co-chair and U.S. representative to the Inter-national Autumn Seminar on Propellants, Explosives and Pyrotechnics, held biennially in China. He is also active in AIAA, NDIA and IPS.

Calendar of JANNAF Meetings

58th JANNAF Propulsion Meeting (JPM)/44th Combustion Subcommittee (CS)/32nd Airbreathing Pro-pulsion Subcommittee (APS)/32nd Exhaust Plume and Signatures Subcommittee (EPSS)/25th Propul-sion Systems Hazards Subcommittee (PSHS) Joint MeetingApril 18–22, 2011Hyatt Regency Crystal City and SAFTAS Conference Center, Arlington, VA

Deadlines:Manuscripts and paper clearance forms to CPIAC: March 21, 2011Hotel Reservations: March 25, 2011. Reservations may be made through the hotel reservations number at 1-888-421-1442 or on the Web at https://resweb.passkey.com/go/JHU11. Please refer to JANNAF when making your reservations to ensure the negotiated rate.Security clearance certifi cation and Reg. Fees to CPIAC: April 4, 2011Papers and Clearance Forms: March 21, 2011Presentations to CPIAC: April 4, 2011

Meeting’s Web page for additional information and registration: https://www2.cpiac.jhu.edu/meetings/apr2011/pages/index.html

8th Modeling and Simulation Subcommittee (MSS)/ 6th Liquid Propulsion Subcommittee (LPS)/ 5th Spacecraft Propulsion Subcommittee (SPS) Joint MeetingDecember 5–9, 2011 Huntsville Marriott, Huntsville, AL Deadlines:

Call for Papers: March 2011Abstracts to CPIAC: June 2011Hotel Reservations: November 12, 2011. Reservations can be made by calling Marriott reservations at 1-888-299-5174. Please refer to JANNAF when making your reservations to ensure the negotiated rate.

Additional details will be available shortly. Visit www.jannaf.org for updates.

For additional information on the above JANNAF meetings, contact CPIAC Meeting Planner Pat Szybist at 410-992-7302, ext. 215, or or by e-mail to [email protected]

Visit the JANNAF Web site for meeting updates: www.jannaf.orgPolicy on Non-Government Attendees at JANNAF Meetings. Attendance at JANNAF meetings for non-government employees is restricted to U.S. citizens only and whose organizations are 1) registered with the Defense Logistics Information Service (DLIS) AND 2) have a government contract registered with the Defense Technical Information Center (DTIC). If the government contract is not registered with DTIC, the attendee’s registration form can be certified by a sponsoring government official from one of the participating JANNAF agencies. Additional information concerning registrations with DLIS and DTIC can be obtained by contacting DLIS at 1-800-352-3572 (www.dlis.dla.mil/jcp/) or DTIC at 1-800-225-3842 (www.dtic.mil/dtic/registration/index.html).

jannnaf gathers in orlando for joint subcommittee meeting · a dod information analysis center...

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