Composite Binder Enabling Higher Propellant Loading and Performance for Extended Range and Reduced Mass Missile Propulsion

AFWERX · AFWERX TACFI · AFWERX

AI-Readiness Score

14/25

Pathway Speed

4/5

Timeline Realism

3/5

Problem Framing

4/5

AI / ML Fit

0/5

Award + Transition

3/5

Award

$1,899,733

Award ceiling

HELICON CHEMICAL COMPANY LLC

Awardee

Posted May 23, 2024

Description

The objectives of this Tactical Funding Increase project are to scale up production of Helicon Chemical Company’s (Helicon) metallized hydroxyl-terminated polybutadiene propellant binder (metallized HTPB), prepare and test enhanced-performance propellants containing metallized HTPB, and produce and deliver solid rocket motor cartridges containing the enhanced propellants to the Air Force for use in their 70-pound Ballistic Test Evaluation System. This effort follows a successful Phase 2 SBIR where the use of metallized HTPB demonstrated enhanced specific impulse through a 5-inch solid rocket motor (SRM) static firing. During the TACFI project, the propulsive performance (delivered impulse/density specific impulse), mechanical properties (particularly low-temperature strain), and other factors enabled by use of metallized HTPB will be further researched and developed. These efforts will increase the technology readiness level (TRL) and manufacturing readiness level (MRL) of Helicon’s solution.

Score Rationale

The solicitation scores a 0 on AI/ML fit because this is straightforwardly a materials science and propulsion chemistry project — metallized HTPB binder synthesis, mechanical testing, and solid rocket motor fabrication — with zero AI/ML component anywhere in the problem statement. The highest score goes to problem framing (4), as the objectives are concrete and well-bounded: scale production, test propellants, deliver SRM cartridges to a named test system with defined performance metrics (specific impulse, density-specific impulse, low-temperature strain). TACFI pathway earns a 4 and the ~$1.9M award ceiling is reasonable, but this solicitation is entirely irrelevant to an AI-native startup.

Source

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