Lightweight Structural Components of a Missile Body

The Ground-Based Interceptor (GBI) missile is the weapon component of the Ground-Based Midcourse Defense (GMD) system that consists of a rocket booster and kinetic kill vehicle. Recently, MDA has sought technologies to improve the performance of the booster vehicle (BV). To date, studies have shown that reductions in weight have a direct impact on overall effectiveness. The current proposal aims to Design for Additive Manufacturing (DfAM) by structural optimization and material selection to reduce the weight of existing components while meeting design specifications. Physical and environmental requirements will be considered in conjunction with manufacturing, storage, and operation expenses. Initially, the team will evaluate candidate parts (nozzles, brackets, y-joints, etc.) and material systems (steel, titanium, inconel, glass composite, etc.) best suited for light-weighting. A single component will be selected for optimization and AM fabrication. Simulation of AM build will assess sensitivity of material and process parameters in order to define an optimized approach to fabrication. The virtual component will be subjected to virtual testing to assess the fidelity of the model and support design optimization. Finally, an optimized AM component will be fabricated and subjected to service loads and compared in terms of weight and performance to a traditional fabricated part. Approved for Public Release | 18-MDA-9522 (23 Feb 18)