You are here

Linear Actuator for Missile Guidance Steering Fin Control

Award Information
Agency: Department of Defense
Branch: Navy
Contract: N00014-03-M-0378
Agency Tracking Number: N031-2067
Amount: $69,346.00
Phase: Phase I
Program: SBIR
Solicitation Topic Code: N/A
Solicitation Number: N/A
Timeline
Solicitation Year: N/A
Award Year: 2003
Award Start Date (Proposal Award Date): N/A
Award End Date (Contract End Date): N/A
Small Business Information
Route 108
Dover, NH 03820
United States
DUNS: 001084482
HUBZone Owned: No
Woman Owned: No
Socially and Economically Disadvantaged: No
Principal Investigator
 David Carroll
 Chief Engineer
 (603) 742-3703
 dcarroll@airex.com
Business Contact
 James Sedgewick
Title: President
Phone: (603) 742-3703
Email: jsedgewick@airex.com
Research Institution
N/A
Abstract

Airex Corporation's Missile Steering Control Actuator System (MSCAS) can be directly applied to provide the high performance missile steering capability required by the Navy's High Speed Anti-Radiation Demonstration program.In the MSCAS, each missile fin is positioned by a low volume, low cost, low weight, high performance, brushless linear motor system comprised of an opposed pair of curved electromagnetic linear actuators. They travel along the missile's axial plane,coupled through a common pinion gear.Advanced features, such as independent control of each fin, dynamic preloading to reduce vibration and increase precision, and air breaking to control velocity, can be implemented via this approach. The design provides inherent fault tolerant capabilityallowing continued system operation via graceful degradation, and is unaffected by vehicle acceleration due to the symmetrically applied forces of the dual actuator design. Integral thermal monitoring allows the control system to dynamically allocatepower for peak steering performance in critical mission segments. Inherent position feedback allows precise fin angle position accuracy during all operating situations despite applied stresses. The low inductance motors allow wide bandwidth precisioncontrol while maintaining extremely high angular slew rates.A single-fin demonstration platform, and preliminary Phase II designs, will be delivered in Phase I. This Missile Steering Control Actuator System will allow proof of concept for low cost, low volume, precision, flight qualified actuators for missile control as well as for UUV and UAV applications. Similar actuators may also be used in precisionpointing applications such as ship-borne high-energy laser systems, air-borne laser systems, or laser communications.

* Information listed above is at the time of submission. *

US Flag An Official Website of the United States Government