Effects of Low Temperatures on Detonation Velocity and Other Explosive Parameters for Linear Shaped Charge Systems

Abstract

Explosives are characterized by high energy concentrations and velocities, and are ideal for many of the mass accelerations, separations, and destruct requirements found on modern flight and space vehicles. For space vehicles particularly, due to the use of cryogenic propellants and the nature of space itself, the environments in which these explosive systems are used now include cryogenic temperatures. The properties of explosives under cryogenic conditions are not well known, and little information is available in the unclassified literature. This work was initiated to determine what changes in the properties of typical explosives may be expected under cryogenic conditions, specifically in relation to linear shaped charge systems as used on the Centaur space vehicle [1].