Solid fuel launch vehicle destruction system and method

A system for shattering a launch vehicle, the launch vehicle including a controller capable of generating a destruct signal, the launch vehicle also including at least one unignited solid fuel rocket motor, each solid fuel rocket motor including (a) a solid fuel propellant disposed about a combustion chamber within a rocket motor case, and (b) a motor initiator capable of igniting the propellant during flight of the launch vehicle, said system comprising:

• at least one explosive charge positioned adjacent the rocket motor case;
• a firing unit capable of receiving the destruct signal and of generating in response thereto an electronic motor ignition signal and an electronic charge explosion signal;
• a motor ignition signal propagator comprising an ignition wire and having a motor ignition signal input and a motor ignition signal output, said motor ignition signal input being connected in signal communication with said firing unit for receiving said motor ignition signal, said motor ignition signal propagator being capable of propagation of said motor ignition signal such that said motor ignition signal arrives at said motor ignition signal output a motor ignition signal propagation time after the destruct signal reaches said firing unit, said motor ignition signal output being configured to cause ignition of the previously unignited solid fuel rocket motor in response to the arrival of said motor ignition signal;
• and
• a charge explosion signal propagator comprising an explosion wire connected to an electronic delay unit, said charge explosion signal propagator having a charge explosion signal input and a charge explosion signal output, said charge explosion signal input being connected in signal communication with said firing unit for receiving said charge explosion signal, said charge explosion signal propagator being capable of propagation of said charge explosion signal such that said charge explosion signal arrives at said charge explosion signal output a charge explosion signal propagation time after the destruct signal reaches said firing unit, said charge explosion signal output being configured to cause actuation of the explosive charge in response to the arrival of said charge explosion signal, said charge explosion signal propagation time being greater than said motor ignition signal propagation time by a pressurization time, said pressurization time being sufficient to allow ignition of the propellant and consequent pressurization of the combustion chamber in response to said motor ignition signal before actuation of the explosive charge in response to said charge explosion signal.

A method for destroying a launch vehicle, the launch vehicle including at least one unignited solid fuel rocket motor, each rocket motor including a solid fuel propellant disposed about a combustion chamber within a rocket motor case, each rocket motor also including at least one explosive charge positioned adjacent the rocket motor case, said method comprising the steps of:

• igniting the previously unignited propellant of the rocket motor during flight;
• pressurizing the combustion chamber of the rocket motor by placing within the chamber combustion products of the ignited propellant;
• and
• shattering the rocket motor case and the propellant by exploding the explosive charge, said shattering step occurring a sufficient time after said igniting step that the combined forces on the rocket motor created by exploding the explosive charge and by said pressurizing step destroy the rocket motor by shattering the rocket motor into pieces such that each piece has a weight that is substantially smaller than the weight of the rocket motor immediately prior to said igniting step,
• wherein the motor initiator of each rocket motor is a normal motor initiator and each rocket motor further includes a destruction motor initiator, the normal motor initiator is configured to initiate ignition of the propellant during normal flight of the launch vehicle along a desired flight path, the destruction motor initiator is configured to initiate ignition of the propellant if the launch vehicle strays substantially from the desired flight path, and said igniting step comprises igniting the previously unignited propellant of the rocket motor with the destruction motor initiator.

A method for destroying a launch vehicle, the launch vehicle including at least one unignited solid fuel rocket motor, each rocket motor including a solid fuel propellant disposed about a combustion chamber within a .rocket motor case, each rocket motor also including at least one explosive charge positioned adjacent the rocket motor case, said method comprising the steps of:

• igniting the previously unignited propellant of the rocket motor during flight;
• pressurizing the combustion chamber of the rocket motor by placing within the chamber combustion products of the ignited propellant;
• and
• shattering the rocket motor case and the propellant by exploding the explosive charge, said shattering step occurring a sufficient time after said igniting step that the combined forces on the rocket motor created by exploding the explosive charge and by said pressurizing step destroy the rocket motor by shattering the rocket motor into pieces such that each piece has a weight that is substantially smaller than the weight of the rocket motor immediately prior to said igniting step,
• wherein said shattering step begins at a time between about 100 milliseconds and about 1000 milliseconds after the time at which said igniting step begins.

A method for destroying a launch vehicle, the launch vehicle including at least one unignited solid fuel rocket motor, each rocket motor including a solid fuel propellant disposed about a combustion chamber within a rocket motor case, each rocket motor also including at least one explosive charge positioned adjacent the rocket motor case, said method comprising the steps of:

• igniting the previously unignited propellant of the rocket motor during flight;
• pressurizing the combustion chamber of the rocket motor by placing within the chamber combustion products of the ignited propellant;
• and
• shattering the rocket motor case and the propellant by exploding the explosive charge, said shattering step occurring a sufficient time after said igniting step that the combined forces on the rocket motor created by exploding the explosive charge and by said pressurizing step destroy the rocket motor by shattering the rocket motor into pieces such that each piece has a weight that is substantially smaller than the weight of the rocket motor immediately prior to said igniting step,
• wherein said shattering step begins at a time between about 200 milliseconds and about 400 milliseconds after the time at which said igniting step begins.

A method for destroying a launch vehicle, the launch vehicle including at least one unignited solid fuel rocket motor, each rocket motor including a solid fuel propellant disposed about a combustion chamber within a rocket motor case, each rocket motor also including at least one explosive charge positioned adjacent the rocket motor case, said method comprising the steps of:

• igniting the previously Unignited propellant of the rocket motor during flight;
• pressurizing the combustion chamber of the rocket motor by placing within the chamber combustion products of the ignited propellant;
• and
• shattering the rocket motor case and the propellant by exploding the explosive charge, said shattering step occurring a sufficient time after said igniting step that the combined forces on the rocket motor created by exploding the explosive charge and by said pressurizing step destroy the rocket motor by shattering the rocket motor into pieces such that each piece has a weight that is substantially smaller than the weight of the rocket motor immediately prior to said igniting step,
• wherein said shattering step comprises destroying the rocket motor by shattering it into pieces such that each piece has a weight less than about ten percent of the original weight of the rocket motor.

A method for destroying a launch vehicle, the launch vehicle including at least one unignited solid fuel rocket motor, each rocket motor including a solid fuel propellant disposed about a combustion chamber within a rocket motor case, each rocket motor also including at least one explosive charge positioned adjacent the rocket motor case, said method comprising the steps of:

• igniting the previously unignited propellant of the rocket motor during flight;
• pressurizing the combustion chamber of the rocket motor by placing within the chamber combustion products of the ignited propellant;
• and
• shattering the rocket motor case and the propellant by exploding the explosive charge, said shattering step occurring a sufficient time after said igniting step that the combined forces on the rocket motor created by exploding the explosive charge and by said pressurizing step destroy the rocket motor by shattering the rocket motor into pieces such that each piece has a weight that is substantially smaller than the weight of the rocket motor immediately prior to said igniting step,
• wherein said shattering step comprises destroying the rocket motor by shattering it into pieces such that each piece has a weight less than about one percent of the original weight of the rocket motor.

A method for destroying a launch vehicle, the launch vehicle including at least one unignited solid fuel rocket motor, each rocket motor including a solid fuel propellant disposed about a combustion chamber within a rocket motor case, each rocket motor also including at least one explosive charge positioned adjacent the rocket motor case, said method comprising the steps of:

• igniting the previously unignited propellant of the rocket motor during flight;
• pressurizing the combustion chamber of the rocket motor by placing within the chamber combustion products of the ignited propellant;
• and
• shattering the rocket motor case and the propellant by exploding the explosive charge, said shattering step occurring a sufficient time after said igniting step that the combined forces on the rocket motor created by exploding the explosive charge and by said pressurizing step destroy the rocket motor by shattering the rocket motor into pieces such that each piece has a weight that is substantially smaller than the weight of the rocket motor immediately prior to said igniting step,
• wherein said shattering step comprises destroying the rocket motor by shattering it into pieces such that each piece has a weight less than about 0.1 percent of the original weight of the rocket motor.