Edwards AFB News

AFRL conducts service-life extension test on Trident 1 C-4 rocket motor

  • Published
  • By Kenji Thuloweit
  • 95th Air Base Wing Public Affairs
EDWARDS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. --  Air Force Research Laboratory Detachment 7 recently tested the second stage of a Navy Trident 1 C-4 Intercontinental Ballistic Missile for service-life extension, addressing a 14-year gap in aging and surveillance data.

The testing was performed as part of the process to maintain viability of Trident 1 C-4 motors, which are approximately 28 years old.

The Trident is a submarine-launched ballistic missile developed by Lockheed Missiles & Space Co. to replace Poseidon missiles in strategic missile submarines. The C-4 missile was first deployed in 1979.

"MDA obtained these motors from the Navy to use as targets in their missile defense programs," said Col. Michael Platt, AFRL Det. 7 commander.

The agency wants to see if the nearly 30-year-old missile has degraded to the point where it isn't useable.

"Aging and surveillance data was collected - including thrust, temperatures, pressures, and strain data - and was used to analyze if the motors can have their service-life extended," said Dan Harbour, AFRL aerospace engineer.

Harbour said 25 people were on hand July 8 to perform the "sea-level" test at Area 1-32 on Pad 1. This was the first test in Trident history that was able to collect thrust vectoring data using a unique 6-degrees-of-freedom thrust stand, which measures thrust in all directions.

He said previous C-4 testing measured only axial thrust - "push back" of the motor.

"The 6-degrees-of-freedom stand at Pad 1 has been a major selling point for programs coming to AFRL since it was installed 5 years ago. MDA's decision to come here was based largely on the proven success of this stand and the desire to get more than just axial thrust data." Platt said.

The Trident 1 C-4 motor fired for approximately a minute for the test.

"All preliminary results show that the rocket performed nominally, but a full analysis is not complete yet," said Bryce Anderson, MDA Propulsion program manager.

Service-life extension testing will continue annually alternating between first- and second-stage motors. Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake, Calif., will perform Trident 1 C-4 first-stage testing this year.