• Home
  • Current congress
  • Public Website
  • My papers
  • root
  • browse
  • IAC-18
  • C4
  • 10
  • paper

    • The pyronumeric, a new technology to answer to the future launchers challenges

    Paper number

    IAC-18,C4,10,13,x42975

    Author

    Mrs. Nathalie CESCO, France, Centre National d'Etudes Spatiales (CNES)

    Coauthor

    Mr. Michel Dupas, France, Dassault Aviation

    Coauthor

    Mr. Laurent Renaud, France, Dassault Aviation

    Coauthor

    Mrs. Carole ROSSI, France, CNRS

    Coauthor

    Mr. MARC VALES, France, Dassault Aviation

    Year

    2018

    Abstract
    During the last years, the space launcher domain has evolved rapidly. The cost reduction  and reusability objectives have created new needs of simple, robust technologies and easy to refurbish products. 
CNES has supported since 2010 Dassault and Laas in a research program to create new solutions for pyrotechnic system and devices used on launchers. The pyronumeric concept has emerged as a good candidate combining the advantages of numerical potential and soft pyrotechnics through the use of nanothermites. The result is a light and miniaturized device, much simpler to implement and to control, and integrating safety management. This technology could replace the historically used on launchers pyrotechnics transmission lines and the safe and arm device. The IFI concept has also others applications possible  as for instance pyrotechnics valves actuators.    

This has a great interest for reusable launchers because of the gain in refurbishment : with classical pyrotechnic lines, the whole line has to be removed and changed, with this concept, only terminal small part named IFI could need to be removed. Controls of the state for the complete system will be simply managed with the numerical pyromaster.  The IFI is an integrated system combining a smart intitiator and a safe and arm device. The DFI is derived from IFI to build a detonator.   

After a research period, including two PhD thesis in LAAS, Dassault with the support of CNES has reached a sufficient maturity to propose to build a prototype in accordance with industrial need and able to space launcher flight and to demonstrate it in flight.   

The article will describe the main functions of the concept IFI and DFI. Some results obtained until now at laboratory scale will also be shown. Finally, the application of the pyronumeric technology at launcher level will be emphasized.
    Abstract document

    IAC-18,C4,10,13,x42975.brief.pdf

    Manuscript document

    IAC-18,C4,10,13,x42975.pdf (🔒 authorized access only).

    To get the manuscript, please contact IAF Secretariat.