Contact: Phil Hearn
STARKVILLE, Miss.--Mississippi State research scientists are playing a key role in the development of a global ballistic missile defense shield aimed at protecting America and its allies from nuclear attack.
While the Northrop Grumman Corp. is leading a national effort to develop and test land-based Kinetic Energy Interceptors for the U.S. Missile Defense Agency, university engineers will be determining effective ways of launching the defensive missiles at sea.
Under a $200,000 contract recently approved by Norththrop Grumman's Mission Systems sector, MSU's Computational Simulation and Design Center will use its expertise in computational fluid dynamics to help the global defense company prepare the $4 billion KEI system for future deployment aboard ships and submarines.
"We'll be using computational fluid dynamics technology developed at the ERC's* SimCenter to predict the behavior of the KEI missile and its rocket exhaust during the initial launch sequence from a ship or other sea-based platform," said SimCenter director David Marcum.
"The situation initially is much different than launching from a ground platform," added Marcum, a professor of mechanical engineering. "The ship or platform is rolling and pitching along with the sea.
"To avoid damaging the ship, the rocket motor can't be ignited until the KEI missile is far enough away from the ship," he explained. "With a ground-based platform, the motor can be ignited immediately."
Computational fluid dynamics utilizes computer simulations to predict what will happen when fluids flow--particularly as related to such complications as simultaneous heat flow, combustion, or other interactions; and the mechanical movements of pistons, fans and rudders.
Marcum said the SimCenter applies very similar technology to a variety of applications that include NASA's space shuttle, jet engines, passenger aircraft, ships and automobiles. Another area is the design of pediatric heart pumps, as related to predictions of how specific stresses may affect the flow of blood.
Craig Staresinich, KEI vice president and general manager for Northrop Grumman Mission Systems, said the Reston, Va.-based company--which operates the former Ingalls shipbuilding facility in Pascagoula--will use the MSU technology to expand its understanding of "the unique challenges inherent in sea-basing the KEI system.
"With MSU as an added partner in this effort, we will enhance our ability to offer the Missile Defense Agency an effective KEI sea-basing capability to significantly increase the robustness of the global-layered ballistic missile defense system," he added.
KEI is a mobile, land-based, global-layered Ballistic Missile Defense System element being developed by the MDA to destroy intermediate and long-range enemy missiles during their most vulnerable boost/ascent phase of flight. The interceptors--with a top speed of more than 12,000 miles per hour--are designed to track incoming missile threats and destroy them with a non-explosive kinetic energy warhead.
A team of the nation's leading defense companies, led by Northrop Grumman, has initiated a $4 billion development and test program aimed at producing 10 interceptors over the next eight years. MSU's contract for this calendar year is to help Northrop Grumman eventually prepare the system for deployment at sea.
Mobile and transportable for deployment anywhere in the world within 24 hours, development and testing of the KEI's initial ground-based capability is scheduled for completion in December 2011. The system's evolution to sea-based deployment is targeted for evaluation by the end of 2013.
NEWS EDITORS/DIRECTORS: For more information, contact Dr. Marcum of MSU, at (662) 323-2423 or marcum@erc.msstate.edu; or Marynoele Benson of Northrop Grumman at (703) 741-7723 or marynoele.benson@ngc.com.
----------------------------------------
*The ERC is the name of what formerly was known as MSU's Engineering Research Center, which is located adjacent to campus in the Thad Cochran Research Technology and Economic Development Park.