Thesis (M.S. in Electrical Engineering)--Naval Postgraduate School, June 2008. / Thesis Advisor(s): Julian, Alexander L. ; Maier, William B. "June 2008." Description based on title screen as viewed on August 29, 2008. Includes bibliographical references (p. 69). Also available in print.

Thesis (M.S. in Mechanical Engineering)--Naval Postgraduate School, June 2008. / Thesis Advisor(s): Kwon, Young W. "June 2008." Description based on title screen as viewed on August 26, 2008. Includes bibliographical references (p. 51). Also available in print.

Thesis (M.S. in Electrical Engineering)--Naval Postgraduate School, March 2007. / Thesis Advisor(s): Alexander L. Julian, William B. Maier. "March 2007." Includes bibliographical references (p. 53). Also available in print.

The present study deals with the development of a single-stage implosion-driven hypervelocity launcher. A thin-walled tube filled with helium surrounded by explosives acts as a driver for the launcher. Implosion of the tube drives a strong shock that reflects back and forth between the projectile and the implosion pinch, generating very high temperatures and pressures. Simple analytic models were used to approximate the performance of the pump tube and its use as a driver for a launcher. Experiments to evaluate the implosion dynamics and performance of the pump tube were carried out, and implosion-driven launcher experiments demonstrated muzzle velocities above 4 km/s with 5-mm-diameter aluminum projectiles. Projectile integrity was verified by high-speed photography. Disagreement of experimental data with the analytical models of performance is mostly due to failure to seal the chamber of the launcher, resulting in loss of driver gas, and pump tube expansion, which weakens the precursor shock.

No description available.