SOLID ROCKET MOTOR HEALTH MONITORING
A solid rocket motor includes a case, a solid propellant, and a seal attached to the motor. The seal isolates the solid propellant from a fluid external of the case, and the seal is at least partially transparent.
1 . A solid rocket motor, comprising:
a case;
a solid propellant; and
a seal attached to the motor, the seal isolating the solid propellant from a fluid external of the case, wherein the seal is at least partially transparent.
2 . The solid rocket motor as recited in claim 1 , further comprising a sensor located proximate the seal.
3 . The solid rocket motor as recited in claim 2 , wherein the sensor is an optical sensor.
4 . A solid rocket motor, comprising:
a case;
a solid propellant;
a seal attached to the motor, the seal isolating the solid propellant from a fluid external of the case;
a computing device attached to the seal and connected with a sensor, the computing device including a processor, a memory, and a communication device; and
an indicator connected to the computing device, the indicator operable to indicate a health status of the solid rocket motor.
5 . The solid rocket motor of claim 4 , wherein the processor includes the memory.
6 . The solid rocket motor of claim 4 , wherein the sensor is in fluid communication with the solid propellant.
7 . The solid rocket motor of claim 4 , wherein the sensor is in contact with the solid propellant.
8 . The solid rocket motor as recited in claim 4 , wherein the sensor is configured to generate data indicative of stored health of the solid rocket motor.
9 . A method for monitoring health of an energetic, the method comprising:
affixing a smart seal to an energetic device, the smart seal including a sensor;
generating a signal from the sensor;
recording data representative of the signal from the sensor in a memory;
communicating the data from the smart seal to an external computing device;
displaying an indication of a health status of the energetic device, wherein the indication is based on the data representative of the signal from the sensor.
10 . The method as recited in claim 9 , wherein the indication of the health status is an indication of a condition of a solid propellant material in the energetic device.