The Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI) envisions the use of multiple tiers of non-nuclear weapons to provide an umbrella of protection from ballistic missiles. Operational engagement constraints typically require a high velocity interceptor in order to achieve reasonable protective coverage, and with an end atmospheric intercept, this results in severe aerodynamic, aerothermal, and structural environments for the acquisition and homing phase of the intercept. The ENDO LEAP vehicle program is in the process of developing an interceptor which can operate successfully in this severe environment. The objective of the ENDO LEAP vehicle program is to design, develop, integrate and test vehicle technologies compatible with affordable lightweight interceptors to perform high and low endo atmospheric defense against ballistic missiles. These technologies will be developed and tested in state-of-the-art testing facilities, such as the Large Energy National Shock Tunnel (LENS). Innovative simulations, ground tests and flight tests will be used to help validate the designs.
Endoatmospheric LEAP
1992
13 pages
Report
No indication
English
Antimissile Defense Systems , Strategic defense initiative , Interceptors , Test and evaluation , Weapons , Guided missiles , Ground level , Flight testing , Environments , Acquisition , State of the art , Structural properties , High velocity , Test vehicles , Lightweight , Vehicles , Homing , Test facilities , Bmdo collection , Bmdo(Ballistic missile defense organization) , U4270
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