Thermal Protection Material for Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) Interceptor

OUSD (R&E) CRITICAL TECHNOLOGY AREA(S): Advanced Materials OBJECTIVE: Demonstrate performance of advanced ceramic nanofiber-based thermal protection system (TPS) materials in the simulated operating environment. DESCRIPTION: The THAAD missile operates in extreme environments. The Government is seeking new lightweight materials that would allow the interceptor to survive and succeed in even more dynamic engagements. This topic aims to demonstrate performance of alternative form-factor variants of nanofibers to enable new improvements to interceptor thermal protection system. Specifically, this topic seeks the demonstration of the ability to produce castable, rigid structures from nanofibers. PHASE I: Phase I-like proposals will not be evaluated and will be rejected as nonresponsive. For this topic, the Government expects the small business would have accomplished the following in a Phase I-like effort via some other means, e.g., independent research and development (IRAD) or other source, a concept for a workable prototype or design to address, at a minimum, the basic capabilities of the stated objective above. Proposal must show, as appropriate, a demonstrated technical feasibility or nascent capability. The documentation provided must substantiate the proposer's development of a preliminary understanding of the technology to be applied in their Phase II proposal in meeting topic objectives. Documentation should comprise all relevant information including but not limited to, technical reports, test data, prototype designs/models, and performance goals/results. Feasibility = maturity and what have you already done/validated. Proposers interested in participating in Direct to Phase II must include in their responses to this topic Phase I feasibility documentation that substantiates the scientific and technical merit and Phase I feasibility described in Phase I above has been met. (i.e., the small business must have performed a proof of concept like Phase I component and/or other validation in a relevant environment, and/or at a much higher TRL level (5 or higher) and describe the potential commercialization applications. The documentation provided must validate that the proposer has completed development of technology in previous work or research completed.) IRAD work, previous Phase I/Phase II work: Documentation should include the most relevant information including, but not limited to: technical reports, test data, prototype designs/models, and/or performance goals/results. Work submitted within the feasibility documentation must have been substantially performed by the proposer and/or the principal investigator (PI). PHASE II: Demonstrate performance of advanced ceramic nanofiber-based TPS materials in the simulated operating environment. a. Guided by computational models of the thermal effects within the aeroshell of THAAD interceptors and temperature survivability thresholds of internal components, verify the enhanced performance over current state-of-the-art, identify any potential areas for integration risk, and resolve this risk. b. Technical Objective 1 would include tests that accurately account for the mechanical loads relevant to THAAD interceptor fly-out trajectories. c. Demonstrate performance of alternative form-factor variants of nanofibers to enable new improvements to interceptor TPS. a. Pilot line would be constructed and operated in a typical factory floor environment. b. Ensure that industrial pilot line has sufficient output capacity to promptly supply the Government contractors with TPS materials for their own testing needs. Develop and deliver report on costs and engineering pathway to scale output to achieve any given amount of ceramic nanofiber material. The report would include every major capital expenditure consideration (cost of manufacturing space, construction costs, diminishing labor costs associated with mass production, etc.). The report would operate on user-friendly input options for convenience while also providing complete transparency on its formulas. Thus, it would enable an accurate extrapolation of actions to achieve Phase III demands, delivered in a format that stakeholder representatives would find useful. PHASE III DUAL USE APPLICATIONS: Insulating material used for other interceptors that operate in an extreme environment. Insulating material for other mechanical structures such as space craft. Insulating material for any structure that needs to take into account the weight of an insulating material relative to the thermal protection provided. REFERENCES: Jing Zhang, Xi Zhang, Lifeng Wang, Junxiong Zhang, Rong Liu, Qilong Sun, Xinli Ye and Xiaomin Ma - "Fabrication and Applications of Ceramic-Based Nanofiber Materials Service in High-Temperature Harsh Conditions A Review" 1 February 2023 Andrei Stanishevsky, Joshua Wetuski, Michael Walock, Inessa Stanishevskaya, Helene Yockell-Lelievre, Eva Kostakova and David Lukas - "Ribbon-like and spontaneously folded structures of tungsten oxide nanofibers fabricated via electrospinning" 10 Aug 2015 KEYWORDS: ceramic insulator; lightweight insulation