Feasibility of Obtaining Hypervelocity Acceleration Using Propellant Lined Launch Tubes

The purpose of this research was to investigate the feasibility of a new concept to accelerate projectiles to hypervelocities. The concept uses an explosive lining inside a launch tube as a reservoir of high pressure gas that is released by the passage of a projectile. The gas forms a stationary reservoir that maintains a relatively constant base pressure on the projectile through a small amount of gas that travels with the projectile. The research has been successful in developing new methods and techniques of applying an explosive lining to the inside of thick--walled tubes, measuring the velocity of projectiles, measuring the internal pressure-time characteristics and obtaining higher velocities from lined tubes than from unlined tubes. The theoretical and experimental studies indicate that the lined-tube concept is not subject to the velocity limitations of the present light gas guns. The limiting factor for the W lined-tube is the ignition and reaction rate of the explosive lining. Extensive study has been put into thin film explosives. Tests were developed to determine burning rates, ignition and friction characteristics, and propellant sensitivities.