A Methodology for Evaluating the Explosive Hazards of Large Solid Rocket Motors

Abstract

An important part of launch operations (vs. test) of a new large military or space vehicle is the evaluation of risk to test range personnel, spectators and facilities. Permission to launch is primarily based on this evaluation, which is required for every system to be launched and may takes several years to complete. Risk is usually defined as the product of the probability of a failure and the consequences of that failure summed over all credible failures. TRW developed a new general methodology to quantitatively assess the explosive hazards (i.e., risks) of launch of systems that use large rocket motors containing solid propellant. If the system fails, propellant can impact the ground, release explosive energy and produce blast waves that reach people or vulnerable facilities.

Open PDF

Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Aug 01, 1996
Accession Number
ADA507334

Entities

People

  • Paul K. Salzman

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Space
  • Weapons Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Air Force
  • Blast Waves
  • Databases
  • Engineering
  • Explosions
  • Explosives
  • Failure Mode And Effect Analysis
  • Geometry
  • Materials
  • Materials Testing
  • Pressure Distribution
  • Probability
  • Reliability
  • Rocket Engines
  • Rockets
  • Solid Propellants
  • Standards

Fields of Study

  • Physics

Readers

  • Educational Psychology
  • Missile Defense Systems.
  • Rocket Propulsion.

Technology Areas

  • Space