Disclosed is a high altitude space launcher system for transferring payloads from surface to orbit at a significantly lower cost than conventional rockets. It comprises a aerostat lifted one stage light gas gun operating in stratosphere that shoots rocket assisted projectiles containing payload at near orbital velocities to a low angle trajectory. Alternatively, to launch acceleration sensitive payloads such as astronauts the light gas gun is replaced with a muzzle loaded conventional gun that shoots a single stage rocket at a much lower velocity. The system is mostly static structure, attached to a tether-elevator that moors it to land or a ship and provided it with electricity and lifts the projectiles to the gun.

An electromagnetic mobile active system for fitting in a missile with a detonation-operated magnetic field compressor. The magnetic field compressor has at least one stator coil and at least one armature casing, which is at least partially surrounded by the stator coil and kept at a radial distance. The magnetic field compressor has at least one explosive charge embedded in the armature casing. The magnetic field compressor has at least one power source. For activating the detonation of the explosive charge, a trigger system is provided. The trigger system can be controlled by a pulse of current from the power source, depending on a signal supplied by the missile. A great amount of electrical energy can be generated in the stator coil by the detonation. For the directional radiation of the electrical energy generated by the detonation of the explosive charge, the active system has at least one directional antenna.

A radar-absorbing material projectile system including a projectile with an outer layer of radar-absorbing material (RAM). A carrier or armature is disposed around the projectile, protecting the layer of RAM during the firing sequence. In some embodiments the carrier is a discarding carrier which falls away after firing, rendering the projectile low-observable with regard to radar detection due to the layer of RAM.

A flare including: a casing; and a grain assembly, at least a portion of the grain assembly being slidably disposed in the casing, the grain assembly including: a shell structure; and a grain component at least partially disposed in the shell structure, the grain component including at least one combustible material and at least one reactive material positioned relative to the combustible material and configured to ignite combustion of the at least one combustible material; wherein the shell structure includes one or more fins at an aft end of the shell structure, the one or more fins being restrained into a first shape in the casing and configured to have a second shape, different from the first shape, when the restraint is removed.

A flare including: a casing; and a grain assembly, at least a portion of the grain assembly being slidably disposed in the casing, the grain assembly including: a shell structure; and a grain component at least partially disposed in the shell structure, the grain component including at least one combustible material and at least one reactive material positioned relative to the combustible material and configured to ignite combustion of the at least one combustible material; wherein the shell structure includes one or more fins at an aft end of the shell structure, the one or more fins being restrained into a first shape in the casing and configured to have a second shape, different from the first shape, when the restraint is removed.

A flare including: a casing; and a grain assembly, at least a portion of the grain assembly being slidably disposed in the casing, the grain assembly including: a shell structure; and a grain component at least partially disposed in the shell structure, the grain component including at least one combustible material and at least one reactive material positioned relative to the combustible material and configured to ignite combustion of the at least one combustible material; wherein the shell structure includes one or more nozzles at an aft end of the shell structure for generating a thrust resulting from ignition of the at least one combustible material.

A flare including: a casing; and a grain assembly, at least a portion of the grain assembly being slidably disposed in the casing, the grain assembly including: a shell structure; and a grain component at least partially disposed in the shell structure, the grain component including at least one combustible material and at least one reactive material positioned relative to the combustible material and configured to ignite combustion of the at least one combustible material; wherein the shell structure includes one or more nozzles at an aft end of the shell structure for generating a thrust resulting from ignition of the at least one combustible material.

A launcher system includes a launcher having a sealed breech and a barrel adapted to receive a projectile with a charge of propellant and a mechanism to vary the launch velocity by selectively controlling the propellant gases vented out of the projectile and into the barrel. A collar can be repositioned through rotation or sliding movement to selectively allow propellant gases to vent out of the barrel or stop propellant gases from venting out of the barrel. When the collar is in a closed or non-venting configuration, propellant gasses build-up pressure behind the projectile, resulting in a relatively high launch velocity and, when the collar is in the open or venting configuration, a relatively low launch velocity is produced. A sliding breech face and energy-absorbing plug can also be provided to further decrease launch velocity.

A launcher system includes a launcher having a sealed breech and a barrel adapted to receive a projectile with a charge of propellant and a mechanism to vary the launch velocity by selectively controlling the propellant gases vented out of the projectile and into the barrel. A collar can be repositioned through rotation or sliding movement to selectively allow propellant gases to vent out of the barrel or stop propellant gases from venting out of the barrel. When the collar is in a closed or non-venting configuration, propellant gasses build-up pressure behind the projectile, resulting in a relatively high launch velocity and, when the collar is in the open or venting configuration, a relatively low launch velocity is produced. A sliding breech face and energy-absorbing plug can also be provided to further decrease launch velocity.

Methods and devices for ejecting a grain assembly from a casing of a flare. Where a combustible material in the casing is ignited to eject the grain assembly and one or more of the following features are provided to the device: imparting a spin on the grain assembly after it is ejected from the casing, stabilizing a flight of the grain assembly or generating a thrust from an aft end of the grain assembly.