The President of Columbiad Launch Services Inc., Mr. Richard Graf and the Pres., Founder, & C.E.O. of Heron Aerospace, Corp., Mr. Parker Bradley, are pleased to announce today that Heron Aerospace and Columbiad Launch Services are now working together on the development of a gun-assisted propulsion system for satellite launches.
Columbiad, and Heron Aerospace, in conjunction with the Physical Science Laboratory (PSL) at New Mexico State University, are currently working on the incorporation of Bragg sensor technology into Columbiad’s gun launchers to measure pressure variations in both steel and composite gun barrels.
Bragg sensors are fiber optic devices that will be attached to the barrels of the gun launchers to provide detailed analysis of the interior ballistic cycle. Bragg sensors will be attached both around the girth, and along the length of the barrel – — allowing internal stresses to be monitored in real time.
One of the benefits of Bragg Sensors is that they can easily be incorporated into the manufacturing process of composite barrels – becoming an integral part of the material of the launcher, thus allowing for the economic development of “smart structures”.
“Heron Aerospace is very excited to be working with PSL & Columbiad in the development of the Bragg Sensor Systems for this aerospace application, ” said Mr. Bradley.
“The addition of Bragg Sensor technology to Columbiad’s gun-launch systems will allow us to monitor and control the ballistic cycle with unprecedented accuracy. Combining Bragg Sensors with high performance, multi-chamber gun-launch systems will allow Heron Aerospace and Columbiad to create the most efficient gun-launched satellite systems ever conceived.”
