Development of the Frangible ARCAS Meteorological Rocket Vehicle

摘要

Development of the Frangible ARCAS vehicle was successfully completed and demonstrated during this program. Two of seven static tests completed during this program, designated Phase III, included successful fragmentation of the spent rocket motor assembly to particle sizes yielding kinetic impact energy levels less than 3.0 ft-lbs. Further analysis showed that maximum energy levels of 1,5 ft-lbs. could be achieved with the existing configuration with only minor modification of the nozzle section.nFour flight tests were conducted during the program, two of which included all systems. The initial tests established the flight temperature environment experienced by the explosive fragmentation system. The first systems flight was considered a "No Test" because of a malfunction induced by the government modified launcher. The final flight test successfully demonstrated vehicle performance, payload ejec¬tion at apogee and subsequent vehicle fragmentation as programmed. This flight test fulfilled the primary objective of the program by demonstrating the feasibility of a frangible meteorological rocket system.