Valley Tech Systems, Inc., is taking its controllable solid propulsion technology to Washington, D.C., this month for the final round in the U.S. Army’s xTechSearch 2.0 competition. The company will show the advantages of its active thruster nozzle prototype in a proof-of-concept demonstration to a panel of judges at the AUSA Annual Meeting and Exposition.
As part of the proof-of-concept demo of the active thruster nozzle for the Army’s xTechSearch 2.0, Valley Tech Systems conducted a series of hot-fire tests. Successful ignition of the nozzle during an initial laboratory test is shown in the photo.
AUSA attendees also may visit the company’s booth on Wednesday, Oct. 16 in the AUSA Innovators’ Corner, where Carlson and Yan will be available to discuss the active thruster nozzle and other applications of the company’s technology. The Innovator’s Corner will be in the Walter E. Washington Convention Center, Hall B, Booth 2361, and the Army will announce the xTechSearch 2.0 grand winner there that day at 3:30 p.m. ET.
The company’s innovative active thruster nozzle concept applies controllable solid propulsion technology to modernizing Army rockets, under the Army’s long-range precision fires modernization priority. This approach, which features an all-in-one axial propulsion system with integral thrust vectoring, can extend range, improve precision and reduce cost. Initial trade studies for a sample application indicate a 53 percent increase in lethal range and a 70 decrease in turning radius.
From an initial field of more than 170 entrants, 12 finalists were chosen to conduct proof-of-concept demonstrations for the Army’s second Expeditionary Technology Search. xTechSearch is designed to encourage innovation in finding solutions for the Army’s modernization priority areas.