Video: ‘Dial-a-Blast’ Rocket Fuel

Weapons researchers and aerospace scientists have long sought ways to “turn on” and “turn off” explosive materials, that go inside rockets and bombs. Now, one company says they’ve pulled off the trick. And that could one day lead to satellite microthrusters and “dial-a-blast” bombs.

Digital Solid State Propulsion, a company based in Reno that is under contract to the Missile Defense Agency and the Navy, has come up with a solid rocket propellant that it claims can be throttled (turned on and off electrically) with no moving parts. Developing a way to control the combustion process through the application of voltage could potentially be a big deal — if it works. The company says the propellant is insensitive to spark and flame, which would mean safer solid rocket fuel; the ability to throttle the fuel would mean better motor control.

The company also hopes to expand the technology into high explosives as part of a push to help design “smarter” bombs. As we’ve reported before, the military is interested in “selectable output weapons” that would have a variable blast radius, limiting the potential for civilian casualties. But more research is needed to understand the potential military application of this kind of technology.

Here’s a short video of a combustion test; a briefing can be seen here.


Digital Solid State Propulsion founder Wayne Sawka says the company is now moving to a practical application: engineering a satellite microthruster. The company is also studying commercial applications for everything from Hollywood pyrotechnics to oil and gas exploration.
Wired

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