Variable burn-rate solid rocket motor ignition method

A rocket motor comprising:

• a pulse chamber containing a burnable propellant grain;
• a propellant inhibited center bore bonded to surfaces of the burnable propellant grain;
• at least one pair of electrically conductive wires coupled to the burnable propellant grain and arranged in variable regions along the propellant inhibited center bore;
• and
• a power supply coupled to the at least one pair of electrically conductive wires for electrically activating the at least one pair of electrically conductive wires thereby generating an electro-chemical burning reaction to ignite and ablate the propellant inhibited center bore that subsequently burns in the variable regions, wherein the at least one conductive wire is interposed between the propellant inhibited center bore and the propellant grain to increase a burn surface area of the burnable propellant grain via ablation of the propellant inhibited center bore;
• wherein the propellant inhibited center bore includes an electrically-activated propellant that undergoes the electro-chemical burning reaction when electrically activated, and that inhibits combustion when not electrically activated.

A method of increasing a burn surface area of a propellant grain in a rocket motor, the method comprising:

• selecting a length, number, refractory metal material, and arrangement of at least one conductive wire to increase a burn surface area in a rocket motor;
• coupling the at least one conductive wire to a burnable propellant grain by arranging the at least one conductive wire in variable regions along a propellant inhibited center bore of the burnable propellant grain in a pulse chamber;
• igniting the burnable propellant grain;
• activating the at least one conductive wire;
• and
• igniting and ablating the propellant inhibited center bore via activation of the at least one conductive wire, wherein the at least one conductive wire is interposed between the propellant inhibited center bore and the propellant grain to increase a burn surface area of the burnable propellant grain via ablation of the propellant inhibited center bore, wherein the propellant inhibited center bore includes an electrically-activated propellant that undergoes an electro-chemical burning reaction when electrically activated to subsequently burn in the variable regions, and that inhibits combustion when not electrically activated.