Ultra High Temperature Composite Materials for High Speed Missile Fin & Control Surfaces

The proposed effort will develop, model, and manufacture a new missile fin design to incorporate UHT CMC materials and an oxide-based heat transfer medium. The design will be tailored to act as an upgrade for the standard missile fin, and the materials systems utilized will allow the fins to effectively manage thermal loads during hypersonic flight for the duration of their mission. The proposing team consists of experts in UHT CMC materials production and hypersonic thermal modeling from Physical Sciences Inc. and Materials Research and Design respectively. The technical risks are moderate since the design specifications are well-known and the proposed ceramic materials systems are already in use. If successful, the proposed ultra-high temperature composite leading edge will provide the Navy and other agencies with the next generation of thermal management and lightweight, temperature resistant materials for hypersonic flight vehicles.