Northrop Grumman completes successful SMART Demo of SRMs

US Defence prime Northrop Grumman Corporation has successfully conducted its second full-scale static test fire of a new solid rocket motor developed in less than a year, as part of the company’s Solid Motor Annual Rocket Technology Demonstrator (SMART Demo).

The SMART Demo motor demonstrated several innovative technologies and alternate manufacturing materials and processes designed to reduce development time and costs and improve motor performance, says the company, including:

• Additive manufacturing used to produce long-lead tooling components and the motor’s primary nozzle structure
• An improved, cost-effective and versatile Solid Rocket Motor (SMR) propellant, capable of operating over a wide temperature range to support various launch platforms and applications
• Alternative suppliers and new materials to supplement or replace other long-lead materials and ease supply chain bottlenecks
• New robotic processes during manufacturing to increase reliability while reducing cost and schedule

“Northrop Grumman’s second SMART Demo motor, and the innovations we pursue with the company-funded effort each year, are enabling us to move faster than ever,” said Jim Kalberer, vice president, propulsion systems, Northrop Grumman. “We’ve successfully demonstrated industry-informed innovations that can accelerate production, strengthen supply chains and reduce solid rocket motor costs.”

The company says its SMART Demo shows the effective implementation of new solid rocket motor technologies, materials and processes. The Demonstration highlighted the design, development, building and testing of a new SRM as well as its associated advanced tooling and technologies. These new technologies enable innovative development programs and also provide lessons for existing production programs with opportunities to reduce production time and cost.

Northrop Grumman says it plans to execute SMART Demo annually as the company continues to invest and advance in solid rocket motor development and propulsion. The technologies and processes demonstrated as part of SMART Demo could support large scale production of solid rocket motors applicable for the Golden Dome for America missile defence project, the company believes, as well as .

SMART Demo expands and strengthens Northrop Grumman’s supplier base by streamlining the test and qualification of new materials, processes and alternate suppliers who manufacture critical materials using faster and more efficient processes, adds the company. It says its manufacturing approach was developed to accelerate and enhance the entire process from design and development to production and testing.