Experimental progress at the ARDEC electromagnetic launch facility

Author

Pappas, J.A. ; Dunham, C.L. ; Chin, I.W. ; Colombo, G.R. ; Coradeschi, T.J. ; Davis, W.H. ; Dunn, W.P. ; Gora, T. ; Van Camp, K.E. ; Wie, M.J.

Author_Institution

US Army Armament Res. Dev. & Eng. Center, Picattinny Arsenal, NJ, USA

Volume

25

Issue

1

fYear

1989

fDate

1/1/1989 12:00:00 AM

Firstpage

400

Lastpage

407

Abstract

The Electric Gun Laboratory at the US Army Armament Research, Development and Engineering Center (ARDEC) was established in 1981 as the Army´s center for test and development of electric propulsion. The lab has grown into a center of electromagnetic propulsion research equipped with a 20 MJ homopolar generator, a 250 kJ capacitor bank, several electromagnetic launchers, and advanced diagnostics. The experiment work is supported by analytical research including railgun analysis and the investigation of segmented projectiles. The authors present the history of the laboratory, describe research in progress, and outline future plans

Keywords

aerospace test facilities; capacitor storage; electromagnetic launchers; homopolar generators; missiles; power supplies to apparatus; pulsed power technology; 20 MJ; 250 kJ; ARDEC electromagnetic launch facility; US Army; capacitor bank; diagnostics; electric propulsion; homopolar generator; missiles; pulsed power; railgun; segmented projectiles; Armature; Educational institutions; Electromagnetic launching; Power supplies; Projectiles; Propulsion; Railguns; Rails; Switches; Testing;

fLanguage

English

Journal_Title

Magnetics, IEEE Transactions on

Publisher

ieee

ISSN

0018-9464

Type

jour

DOI

10.1109/20.22571

Filename

22571