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Small or moderate-weight space launches could significantly benefit from an electrically powered launch complex, based on an electromagnetic coil launcher. This paper presents results of studies to estimate the required launcher parameters, and estimate the cost of such a launch facility. This study is based on electromagnetic launch, or electromagnetic gun technology which is constrained to a coaxial geometry to take advantage of the efficiency of closely-coupled coils. This geometry, along with reasonable constraints on the length and power requirements for the launcher, match most naturally to relatively small satellites in low-earth orbits. The launcher energy and power requirements fall in the range of 40 - 260 GJ and 20 - 400 GW electric. Parametric evaluations have been conducted with a launcher length of 1-2 km, exit velocity of 1 - 6 km/s, and payloads of 100 -1000 kg. The launch requires high acceleration, so the satellite package must be hardened. The EM launch complex could greatly reduce the amount of fuels handling, reduce the turn-around time between launches, allow more concurrence in launch preparation, reduce the manpower requirements for launch vehicle preparation and increase the reliability of launch by using more standardized vehicle preparations.

Abstract not provided.

Sandia national laboratories (SNL) and lockheed martin MS2 are designing an electromagnetic missile launcher (EMML) for naval applications. The EMML uses an induction coilgun topology with the requirement of launching a 3600 lb. missile up to a velocity of 40 m/s. To demonstrate the feasibility of the electromagnetic propulsion design, a demonstrator launcher was built that consists of approximately 10% of the propulsion coils needed for a tactical design. The demonstrator verified the design by launching a 1430 lb weighted sled to a height of 24 ft in mid-December 2004 (Figure 1). This paper provides the general launcher design, specific pulsed power system component details, system operation, and demonstration results.

Endospores of the bacterium, Bacillus subfilis, have been shown to exhibit a synergistic rate of cell death when treated with particular levels of heat and ionizing radiation in combination. This synergism has been documented for a number of different organisms at various temperatures and radiation doses (Sivinski, H.D., D.M. Garst, M.C. Reynolds, C.A. Trauth, Jr., R.E. Trujillo, and W.J. Whitfield, ''The Synergistic Inactivation of Biological Systems by Thermoradiation,'' Industrial Sterilization, International Symposium, Amsterdam, 1972, Duke University Press, Durham, NC, pp. 305-335). However, the mechanism of the synergistic action is unknown. This study attempted to determine whether the mechanism of synergism was specifically connected to the DNA strand breakage--either single strand breakage or double strand breakage. Some work was also done to examine the effect of free radicals and ions created in the spore body by the radiation treatments, as well as to determine the functionality of repair enzymes following heat, radiation, and thermoradiation treatments. Bacillus subtilis spores were treated at combinations of 33 kr/hr, 15 kr/hr, 105 C, 85 C, 63 C, and 50 C. Some synergistic correlation was found with the number of double strand breaks, and a strong correlation was found with the number of single strand breaks. In cases displaying synergism of spore killing, single strand breakage while the DNA was in a denatured state is suspected as a likely mechanism. DNA was damaged more by irradiation in the naked state than when encased within the spore, indicating that the spore encasement provides an overall protective effect from radiation damage in spite of free radicals and ions which may be created from molecules other than the DNA molecule within the spore body. Repair enzymes were found to be functional following treatments by radiation only, heat only, and thermoradiation.

Nanosatellite space launches could significantly benefit from an electrically powered launch complex, based on an electromagnetic coil launcher. This paper presents results of studies to estimate the required launcher parameters and some fixed facility issues. This study is based on electromagnetic launch, or electromagnetic gun technology, which is constrained to a coaxial geometry to take advantage of the efficiency of closely-coupled coils. A baseline configuration for analysis considers a payload mass of 10 kg, launch velocity of 6 km/s, a second stage solid booster for orbital insertion, and a payload fraction of about 0.1. The launch facility is envisioned as an inclined track, 1-2 km in length, mounted on a hillside at 25 degrees aimed in the orbital inclination of interest. The launcher energy and power requirements fall in the range of 2000 MJ and 2 MW electric. This energy would be supplied by 400 modules of energy storage and magnetic coils. With a prime power generator of 2 MW, a launch rate of some 200 satellites per day is possible. The launch requires high acceleration, so the satellite package must be hardened to launch acceleration on the order of 1000 gee. Parametric evaluations compare performance parameters for a launcher length of 1-2 km, exit velocity of 4-8 km/s, and payloads of 1-100 kg. The EM launch complex could greatly reduce the amount of fuels handling, reduce the turn-around time between launches, allow more concurrence in launch preparation, reduce the manpower requirements for launch vehicle preparation and increase the reliability of launch by using more standardized vehicle preparations. Most importantly, such a facility could reduce the cost per launch and could give true launch-on-demand capability for nanosatellites.

The purpose of this project is to develop and extend the electron beam joining process to applications related to Mo/Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} cermets for neutron tube fabrication, glass seals for flat panel displays, and ceramics for structural applications. The key issue is the identification of the allowable operating ranges that produce thermal conditions favorable to robust joining and sealing. High strength, hermetic braze joints between ceramic components have been produced using high energy electron beams. With a penetration depth into a typical ceramic of {approximately} 1 cm for a 10 MeV electron beam, this method provides the capability for rapid, transient brazing operations where temperature control of heat sensitive components is essential. The method deposits energy directly into a buried joint, allowing otherwise inaccessible interfaces to be brazed. The combination of transient heating, with higher thermal conductivity, lower heat capacity, and lower melting temperature of braze metals relative to the ceramic materials, enables a pulsed high power beam to melt a braze metal without producing excessive ceramic temperatures. The authors have demonstrated the feasibility of this process related to ceramic coupons a well as ceramic and glass tubes and cylindrical shapes. The transient thermal response was predicted, using as input the energy absorption predicted from the coupled electron-photon and thermal transport analysis. The joining experiments were conducted with an RF linear accelerator at 10--13 MV. Joining experiments have provided high strength joints between alumina and alumina and between alumina and cermet joints in cylindrical geometry. These joints provided good hermetic seals.

High strength, hermetic braze joints between ceramic components have been produced using high energy electron beams. With a penetration depth into a typical ceramic of {approximately}1 cm for a 10 MeV electron beam, this method provides the capability for rapid, transient brazing operations where temperature control of critical components is essential. The method deposits energy directly into a buried joint, allowing otherwise inaccessible interfaces to be brazed. Because of transient heating, higher thermal conductivity, lower heat capacity, and lower melting temperature of braze metals relative to the ceramic materials, a pulsed high power beam can melt a braze metal without producing excessive ceramic temperatures. We have demonstrated the feasibility of this process related to ceramic coupons as well as ceramic and glass tubes. The transient thermal response was predicted, using as input the energy absorption predicted from the coupled electron-photon transport analysis. The joining experiments were conducted with an RF Linac accelerator at 10-13 MV. The repetition rate of the pulsed beam was varied between 8 and 120 Hz, the average beam current was varied between 8 and 120 microamps, and the power was varied up to 1.5 kW. These beam parameters gave a beam power density between 0.2 to 2 kW/cm{sup 2}. The duration of the joining runs varied from 5 to 600 sec. Joining experiments have provided high strength between alumina - alumina and alumina - cermet joints in cylindrical geometry. These joints provided good hermetic seals. A series of tests was conducted to determine the minimum beam power and exposure time for producing, a hermetic seal.

A ground-based electrically-powered launcher could significantly reduce the complexity and cost of space launches for moderate-weight payloads. The EM launch complex could greatly reduce the amount of fuels handling, reduce the turnaround time between launches, allow more concurrence in launch preparation, reduce the manpower requirements for launch vehicle preparation and increase the reliability of launch by using more standardized vehicle preparations. The launch requires high acceleration, so the satellite package must be hardened. This paper presents results of a study to estimate the required launcher parameters, and estimate the cost of such a launch facility. This study is based on electromagnetic gun technology which is constrained to a coaxial geometry to take advantage of the efficiency of closely-coupled coils. The launcher energy and power requirements fall in the range of 40 {minus} 260 GJ and 20 {minus} 400 GW electric. Parametric evaluations have been conducted with a launcher length of 1-2 km, exit velocity of 1-6 kn/s, and payloads to low earth orbit of 100 1000 kg.

The SERAPBIM (SEgmented RAil PHased Induction Motor) concept is a linear induction motor concept which uses rapidly-pulsed magnetic fields and a segmented reaction rail, as opposed to low-frequency fields and continuous reaction rails found in conventional linear induction motors. These improvements give a high-traction, compact, and efficient linear motor that has potential for advanced high speed rail propulsion. In the SERAPBIM concept, coils on the vehicle push against a segmented aluminum rail, which is mounted on the road bed. Current is pulsed as the coils cross an edge of the segmented rail, inducing surface currents which repel the coil. The coils must be pulsed in synchronization with the movement by reaction rail segments. This is provided by a sense-and-fire circuit that controls the pulsing of the power modulators. Experiments were conducted to demonstrate the feasibility of the pulsed induction motor and to collect data that could be used for scaling calculations. A 14.4 kg aluminum plate was accelerated down a 4 m track to speeds of over 15 m/sec with peak thrust up to 18 kN per coilset. For a trainset capable of 200 mph speed, the SERAPHIM concept design is based on coils which are each capable of producing up to 3.5 kN thrust, and 30 coil pairs are mounted on each power car. Two power cars, one at each end of the train, provide 6 MW from two gas turbine prime power units. The thrust is about 210.000 N and is essentially constant up to 200 km/hr since wheel slippage does not limit thrust as with conventional wheeled propulsion. A key component of the SERAPHIM concept is the use of passive wheel-on-rah support for the high speed vehicle. Standard steel wheels are capable of handling over 200 mph. The SERAPHIM cost is comparable to that for steel-wheel high-speed rail, and about 10% to 25% of the projected costs for a comparable Maglev system.

Feasibility of ceramic joining using a high energy (10 MeV) electron beam. The experiments used refractory metals as bonding materials in buried interfaces between Si{sub 3}N{sub 4} pieces. Because the heat capacity of the metal bonding layer is much lower than the ceramic, the metal reaches much higher temperatures than the adjoining ceramic. Using the right combination of beam parameters allows the metal to be melted without causing the adjoining ceramics to melt or decompose. Beam energy deposition and thermal simulations were performed to guide the experiments. Joints were shear tested and interfaces between the metal and the ceramic were examined to identify the bonding mechanism. Specimens joined by electron beams were compared to specimens produced by hot-pressing. Similar reactions occurred using both processes. Reactions between the metal and ceramic produced silicides that bond the metal to the ceramic. The molybdenum silicide reaction products appeared to be more brittle than the platinum silicides. Si{sub 3}N{sub 4} was also joined to Si{sub 3} N{sub 4} directly. The bonding appears to have been produced by the flow of intergranular glass into the interface. Shear strength was similar to the metal bonded specimens. Bend specimens Of Si{sub 3}N{sub 4} were exposed to electron beams with similar parameters to those used in joining experiments to determine how beam exposure degrades the strength. Damage was macroscopic in nature with craters being tonned by material ablation, and cracking occurring due to excessive thermal stresses. Si was also observed on the surface indicating the Si{sub 3}N{sub 4} was decomposing. Bend strength after exposure was 62% of the asreceived strength. No obvious microstructural differences were observed in the material close to the damaged region compared to material in regions far away from the damage.

High energy electron beam accelerator technology has been developed over the past three decades in response to military and energy-related requirements for weapons simulators, directed-energy weapons, and inertially-confined fusion. These applications required high instantaneous power, large beam energy, high accelerated particle energy, and high current. These accelerators are generally referred to as ``pulsed power`` devices, and are typified by accelerating potential of millions of volts (MV), beam current in thousands of amperes (KA), pulse duration of tens to hundreds of nanoseconds, kilojoules of beam energy, and instantaneous power of gigawatts to teffawatts (10{sup 9} to 10{sup 12} watts). Much of the early development work was directed toward single pulse machines, but recent work has extended these pulsed power devices to continuously repetitive applications. These relativistic beams penetrate deeply into materials, with stopping range on the order of a centimeter. Such high instantaneous power deposited in depth offers possibilities for new material fabrication and processing capabilities that can only now be explored. Fundamental techniques of pulse compression, high voltage requirements, beam generation and transport under space-charge-dominated conditions will be discussed in this paper.

Insulations are used in metallic glass ribbon cores in pulse power applications to prevent interlaminar eddy currents due to voltages induced between adjacent laminations. These interlaminar eddy currents can greatly increase the losses in cores, and, thereby, decrease the pulse permeability at high magnetization rates. This paper reports results of experiments with various insulation materials and both low and high induced anisotropy energy iron-base metallic glass ribbons. Co-wound insulation films as well as conformal insulations were investigated. Magnetic properties and voltage hold-off strengths are reported. 11 refs., 11 figs., 5 tabs.