Demonstration of a hypervelocity mass-efficient integrated launch package

Tests were conducted whereby a kinetic energy penetrator was launched from an electromagnetic launcher, The penetrator was fabricated from a tungsten alloy, An armature, which supported the penetrator during acceleration and conducted the rail current, was fabricated from 7075-T6 aluminum, The trans ition of the armature contacts from a low voltage to a high voltage was ide ntified as the mechanism that caused the aft section of the subprojectile t o fail. Transition occurred fairly consistently at an average velocity of 2 050 m/s, Removal of armature material at the rod-armature interface increas ed the survivability of the subprojectile and was demonstrated with a launc h package mass of 308.5 gm, yielding a useful mass fraction of 49%, Structu ral integrity of the subprojectile at a launch velocity of 2350 m/s was ver ified with an orthogonal flash X-ray image at the muzzle.