INDIAN HEAD, Maryland - Dr. Vasant Joshi, a senior materials
scientist; and Dr. Greg Young, a propulsion engineer and program lead - both
at Naval Surface Warfare Center Indian Head Explosive Ordnance
Disposal Technology Division's (NSWC IHEODTD) - received the 2014 Dr. Delores M.
Etter Award for Top Scientists and Engineers during a ceremony held at the
Pentagon, June 12.
Young and Joshi were recognized for development of a hybrid rocket
fuel that performs as well as solid rockets while creating a safer system that
is throttle-able and has the ability to be stopped and restarted in
flight. The new boron-based system overcomes traditional
difficulty of inefficient combustion with boron by eliminating hydrogen in the
composition. The increased performance was demonstrated in fiscal
year 2014 using a sub-scale rocket motor test stand constructed at the
command.
"We're extremely proud of Dr. Joshi and Dr. Young," said NSWC
IHEODTD Technical Director Ashley Johnson. "Their work on Hybrid
Rocket Propulsion represents a significant advancement in technology by
introducing the possibility of throttling a rocket motor that allows for greater
mission flexibility. This could provide missiles the ability to
loiter then accelerate to engage once the target is acquired.
Their accomplishment required exceptional technical rigor and a strong
understanding of combustion, rocket propulsion and the underlying sciences. It
also represents this command's commitment to develop and transition new products
and services that increase warfighting capabilities."
Established in 2006, the award is named for Dr. Delores Etter,
former assistant secretary of the Navy for research, development and
acquisition, and recognizes Navy civilian and military personnel for exceptional
science and engineering achievements. Since 2010, NSWC IHEODTD
scientists and engineers have earned nine such awards.
NSWC IHEODTD - a
field activity of the Naval Sea Systems Command and part of the Navy's Science
and Engineering Enterprise - is a leader in ordnance, energetics, and EOD
solutions. The Division focuses on energetics and ordnance research,
development, testing, evaluation, in-service support and disposal; and provides
warfighters solutions to detect, locate, access, identify, render safe, recover,
exploit, and dispose of explosive ordnance threats.